[00:00:05]
MAYOR,[5:00 P.M. - INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
I RECOGNIZE THE MAYOR PRO TEM FOR THE INVOCATION.ON BEHALF OF COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, UH, COLLEAGUES TODAY WE ARE JOINED BY REVEREND LINDSEY KIRKPATRICK, WHO SERVES AS THE SENIOR PASTOR OF FIRST HOUSTON UNITED METHODIST CHURCH.
REVEREND KIRKPATRICK FIRST JOINED FIRST HOUSTON UMC IN JULY AND BRINGS 17 YEARS OF MINISTRY EXPERIENCE, INCLUDING 11 YEARS AS PASTOR OF ASBURY UMC IN PASADENA, TEXAS.
SHE HAS PROVIDED LEADERSHIP TO THE TEXAS ANNUAL CONFERENCE AS CHAIR OF THE MISSIONS COMMITTEE, AS A MEMBER OF THE CONFERENCE DELEGATION, AND AS A REPRESENTATIVE AT NATIONWIDE GATHERINGS.
PASTOR KIRKPATRICK IS PASSIONATE ABOUT MAKING SPACE FOR NEW AND GROWING DIS DISCIPLES AND FIND THEIR HOME IN GOD AND FOR PUBLIC SQUARE MINISTRY WHERE THE CHURCH COLLABORATES WITH NONPROFITS, INDUSTRY PARTNERS, AND CITY LEADERS TO MULTIPLY ITS IMPACT.
REVEREND KIRKPATRICK, IF YOU ARE HERE, YOU CAN JOIN US AT THE MICROPHONE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY, AND WE ARE READY TO HEAR FROM YOU, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
ALMIGHTY GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE.
AS NELSON HENDERSON SAID, THE TRUE MEANING OF LIFE IS TO PLANT TREES UNDER WHOSE SHADE YOU DO NOT EXPECT TO SIT.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF MAKING LASTING CONTRIBUTIONS THAT IMPROVE THE LIVES OF HOUSTONIANS, AND WE ASK THAT YOU ENABLE US TO ACT OUT A HEART OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP.
WE ASK THAT WHEN WE SEE AND HEAR ONE ANOTHER, WE WOULD BE LOOKING FOR THE DIVINE SPARK WITHIN EACH PERSON LISTENING FOR WISDOM TO COME FROM ANY SOURCE.
WE PRAY A BLESSING ON BABIES BORN IN HOUSTON TODAY FOR THEIR SAFETY AND PROVISION.
WE PRAY FOR CHILDREN WALKING THE STREETS HOME FROM SCHOOL.
WE PRAY FOR MOTHERS AND FATHERS TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE IT.
AND WE PRAY THAT OUR CITY WOULD BE A HAVEN FOR THE GOOD FOR ALL WITHIN ITS LIMITS, AND THAT WE WOULD HAVE THE COURAGE TO MAKE IT SO.
SO, MAY TODAY'S MEETING BE GUIDED BY THE PRINCIPLES OF COMPASSION AND JUSTICE.
MAY WE BE PRODUCTIVE AND HELPFUL TO THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST.
IN THE WORDS OF JOHN WESLEY, MAY WE DO ALL THE GOOD WE CAN BY ALL THE MEANS WE CAN AND ALL THE WAYS WE CAN, AND ALL THE PLACES WE CAN AT ALL THE TIMES WE CAN TO ALL THE PEOPLE WE CAN, AS LONG AS EVER WE CAN.
PGI OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA BY NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY.
[ROLL CALL AND ADOPT MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING]
MR. UH, SECRETARY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? MAYOR WHITMEYER.PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS PRESENT AND COUNCIL MEMBER ELKHORN HERE NEED A MOTION TO DELAY THE ADOPTION OF MINUTES.
[PUBLIC SPEAKERS]
COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS.I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO ADD TRAVIS MCGEE TO THE END OF THE THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA LIST.
COUNCIL, MAYOR, MEMBER CASTILLO.
I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE CAROLINA MARTINEZ TO FOLLOW CHRISTOPHER RIVERA ON THE ONE MINUTE PREVIOUS LIST.
ALL IN FAVOR? THERE'S A SECOND.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE ROUGE TO MOVE YOLANDA JONES AND LARRY COOPER, UH, TO THE ONE MINUTE TOP OF THE ONE MINUTE NON AGENDA ITEM LIST AND ADD TOMORROW BELL TO THE ONE MINUTE NON KNOWLEDGE.
ANYONE ELSE ON A PROCEDURAL VOTE MOTION? IF NOT, WE WANNA WELCOME OUR GUESTS.
WE HAVE A LONG LIST OF SPEAKERS SIGNED UP TODAY BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE THAN 150 MINUTES WORTH OF SPEAKERS TO RULES.
REQUIRE US TO ONLY GIVE EACH OF YOU ONE MINUTE.
EVEN IF YOU SIGNED UP FOR MORE.
I'VE BEEN ASKED BY SEVERAL COUNCIL
[00:05:02]
PERSONS TO GO BY STRICT ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE OF THE SHEER NUMBERS AND MINUTES REQUIRED TO GET THROUGH THE EVENING, AND I WOULD SAY WE GET STARTED.MR. SECRETARY CALL OUR FIRST SPEAKER.
YOU DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? NO, THAT WAS FROM MR. NOPE, THAT'S MARTY.
MR. MR. SECRETARY YOLANDA JONES.
WERE YOU GONNA MOVE HIM TO THE FRONT? I WAS TOLD YOU WERE RIGHT.
SO YOU'LL MAKE A MOTION TO TAKE HIM OUT OF ORDER NOW.
NOW ADD HIM TO THE, TO THE, SORRY.
LET'S, LET'S LET THIS GENTLEMAN GOOD EVENING AND THEN WE'LL DO PJ IN A MOMENT.
I'M, MY NAME IS LARRY COOPER AND I COME TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE GLENWOOD FOREST COMMUNITY.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, MR. MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR COMING TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, AND NOT SENDING SOMEBODY TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOU CAME AND YOU SHARED INFORMATION THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW AND YOU SHARED INFORMATION THAT WE NEEDED TO KNOW.
I ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK 15 OF YOUR DEPARTMENT HEADS.
THEY ALSO CAME TO COMMUNITY AT TO HELP US OUT, AND THAT WAS SOMEWHAT UNUSUAL TO ME, SO WE THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND OUR DEED RESTRICTIONS ARE FILED WITH THE CITY AND WITH THE STATE, AND WE STILL NEED A LITTLE MORE HELP BECAUSE SOME OF THE PEOPLE INSIST ON BREAKING THE DEED RESTRICTIONS.
AND I JUST THOUGHT ABOUT IF YOU COULD FORM A COMMITTEE, MAYBE FOUR PEOPLE, AND THEY COULD COME OUT AND SAY THEY ARE FROM THE CITY AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY ARE VIOLATING DEED RESTRICTIONS.
BECAUSE SOMETIMES THEY DON'T PAY US ANY ATTENTION AND THEY CONTINUE TO DO SO.
YOUR TIME SUGGESTION, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
AND, AND ALSO MAYOR, WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE W MOBILE.
IT'LL BE A TREMENDOUS HELP TO OUR COMMUNITY AND THE THINGS THAT, UH, WE'RE TRYING TO DO, SIR.
PJ COOPER TO BE FOLLOWED BY TOMORROW.
ALRIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR, UH, WITH MY, MY NAME IS PHILLIP JONES.
I AM THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE GLENWOOD FOREST COMMUNITY.
I AM HAPPY TODAY UNDER THIS ONE MINUTE I HAVE TO SPEAK, WE HAVE FINALLY GOT THE WIT MOBILE.
THE WIT MOBILE IS A PATROL CAR, OF COURSE, WE NAMED AFTER THE MAIL.
IT'S BOLD AND IT IS TOUGH AND IT IS COMBATING ILLEGAL DUMPING.
I KNOW MOST PEOPLE PROBABLY WON'T BE STANDING RIGHT NOW IN THE BACK, BUT I DID WANNA MAKE A LITTLE, A LITTLE THANK YOU TO THE HOUSTON LIEUTENANT SCALES AND CONSTABLE ROSEN AS WELL TOO, FOR HELPING US.
THIS, THIS VEHICLE IS, ISN'T JUST METAL AND TIRES, IT'S A LIFELINE.
WHEN THE WINTER STORMS HIT AND THE LIGHTS WENT OUT, THE WHIP MOBILE WAS THE ONLY LIGHT THAT SOME OF OUR SENIORS SAW.
IT IS A TOOL WE USE TO HUNT THE ILLEGAL DUMPERS DOWN WHO TREAT OUR FRONT YARDS LIKE TRASH CANS MORE BECAUSE OF YOUR WORD.
A 90-YEAR-OLD GRANDMOTHER AND GLENWOOD FOREST CAN SIT IN HER YARD AND FEEL LIKE SOMEONE IS FINALLY WATCHING HER.
YOU CREATED A HARMONY OF LEADERSHIP BETWEEN CONSTABLE ROSEN'S OFFICE, THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
MAY I GET EXTRA TIME OVER? HEY J BOY, I HATE TO CUT YOU OFF
BUT I TELL YOU WHAT, MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR THE WOOD MOBILE.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE ENGAGEMENT AND THE ASSISTANCE THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND I'M GONNA ASK, UH, DO YOU HAVE OTHER MEMBERS HERE? WE DO.
WE HAVE ARE THEY GONNA SPEAK? THEY WERE, THEY'RE ON THE SPEAKER.
AND WHEN THEY FINISH, I'M GONNA ASK THE MAYOR PROTI TO PRESIDE BY, JOIN Y'ALL OUTSIDE FOR PHOTOS.
AND I WANNA SEE THAT VE VEHICLE,
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THE WHIT MOBILE.I LIKE YOU WOULD SAY AFTER THAT, LET'S GET TO WORK.
CHARLENE JONES FROM THIRD WARD.
I AM AGAINST PUTTING A GAS STATION RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FROM MY HOUSE.
WE HAVE SEVERAL ON SOUTHMORE, WE DON'T NEED ANYMORE.
I LIKE, I LIKE TO SUSPEND BENWOOD FOREST CIVIC CLUB.
I LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULE AND ADD PJ JONES AND HIS CIVIC GROUP TO COME UP AND SPEAK TO THE, UH, YEAH.
AND GOOD EVENING TO YOU, MAYOR WHITMEYER.
MY NAME IS VEA RANDOLPH AND I'M A PROUD HONORARY MEMBER OF THE GLENWOOD FOREST COMMUNITY CIVIC CLUB.
SO MAYOR, THE OPA IS STILL ON THE TABLE.
I'M STILL WAITING TO GIVE YOU THAT OFFICIAL TOUR OF GLENWOOD FOREST, BUT THIS TIME WE'LL DO IT IN STYLE IN THE NEW TMOBILE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND FOR IN INVESTING IN THE SECURITY FOR
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR WHITMEYER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I LIVE IN THE EAST HOUSTON SLASH GLENWOOD FOREST, UH, AREA.
I'M HERE TODAY TO ALSO SPECIFICALLY THANK THE MAYOR AND YOUR ADMINISTRATION FOR THE INCREASED EFFORTS IN HELPING US COMBAT THE ILLEGAL DUMPING IN OUR CITY, BUT SPECIFICALLY THE ENTIRE EAST HOUSTON, UH, COMMUNITY.
AND FOR TOO LONG, ILLEGAL DUMPING HAS FELT LIKE A LOSING BATTLE, LIKE PJ SAID, NOW SOME OF OUR RESIDENTS CAN COME OUT THERE AND SIT AND NOT FEEL LIKE IT'S A BLIGHT OR SAFETY, UH, HAZARD FOR OUR CHILDREN AND A DETRIMENT TO OUR PROPERTY VALUES.
SO WE JUST WANNA THANK YOU GUYS FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING.
NEXT DOING, UH, I'M JUST INTO ONE OF THE MICROPHONES, EITHER ONE CITY COUNCILMAN, UH, MAYOR WHITMEYER.
I'M WITH THE PULL THE MIC UP JUST A LITTLE.
I'M WITH THE GLENWOOD FOREST, UH, CIVIC.
UM, I JUST, BASICALLY, I'M HERE TO THANK YOU FOR THE WHIT MOBILE.
UH, IT'S, IT IS BEEN A BLESSING FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UH, IT IS BEEN A, IT'S BEEN A, THE SPIKE THAT THIS IN WAS IN THE OTHER AREAS.
IT WASN'T IN GLENWOOD 'CAUSE I WAS DRIVING, YOU KNOW, SO I JUST, I THANK YOU SO MUCH.
BJ, IS THAT YOUR, IS THAT YOUR, UH, NEIGHBORS? YES.
RAMIREZ HAS A PROCEDURAL REAL QUICK.
COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ MAYOR MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD ALICIA, SEBASTIAN AND JUSTIN BOYD TO BE PLACED AFTER RAIN.
EATON ON THE PREVIOUS ONE MINUTE.
I'M GONNA ASK THE MAYOR PROTE TO RESIDE AND I'LL BE BACK SHORTLY.
[00:15:01]
RALPH KIRBY.NEXT SPEAKER, JENNIFER JOHNSON.
JENNIFER JOHNSON TO BE FOLLOWED BY JAMES MURPHY.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS JENNIFER JOHNSON.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT C AND A MEMBER OF THE MIGRATION WITH DIGNITY COALITION, WHICH IS A FAITH-BASED COALITION ADVOCATING FOR IMMIGRANTS.
I'M HERE TO ASK THE CITY COUNCIL TO MINIMIZE COOPERATION WITH ICE BY SUSPENDING NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS.
A REPORT FROM THE CATO INSTITUTE SAID THAT 73% OF PEOPLE DETAINED BY ICE HAVE NO CONVICTIONS, AND 95% HAVE NO VIOLENT CONVICTIONS.
SO SUSPENDING NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS WILL PREVENT OUR RESOURCES FROM GOING TOWARDS THE THREAT TOWARDS NONVIOLENT PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST GOING ABOUT THEIR DAILY LIVES AND POSSIBLY SUBJECTING THEM TO THE LOSS OF THEIR CIVIL RIGHTS AND THEIR HUMAN RIGHTS.
THAT ICE HAS BEEN PERPETRATING NATIONWIDE WITH THEIR MASKS AND UNMARKED CARS AND LACK OF DUE PROCESS.
UM, PEOPLE ARE LOSING THEIR FREEDOMS AND EXTREME CASES, EVEN THEIR LIVES, AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MITIGATE THAT HARM AND HOUSTON SHOULD DO THAT.
NEXT SPEAKER JAMES MURPHY TO BE FOLLOWED BY PAULINE TRON.
MY NAME IS JAMES MURPHY AND I RESIDE IN DISTRICT C.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST ANY POLICIES THAT SUBJECT OUR NEIGHBORS TO THE FEAR OF DETENTION, FAMILY SEPARATIONS, OR EVEN DEPORTATION THAT GOD KNOWS WHERE SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THEIR ACCENT OR APPEARANCE.
WHAT CONCERNS ME IS THAT WAY TOO OFTEN WE HEAR OF SOME NEW OUTRAGE OR ABUSE RELATED TO ICE OR DH S'S DUE TO ERROR INCOMPETENCE OR INTENTIONAL CRUELTY.
WE WERE TOLD THE WORST OF THE WORST WOULD BE TARGETED, BUT INSTEAD ANYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY IS AT RISK, INCLUDING LEGAL, LEGAL RESIDENTS AND CITIZENS WHO MAY BE WRONGLY IDENTIFIED.
I WOULD BEG YOU TO RECONSIDER ANY POLICIES THAT SUBJECT OUR NEIGHBORS TO THIS THREAT.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME.
NEXT SPEAKER, PAULINE TRON, TO BE FOLLOWED BY RICKA DAM.
I'M PAULINE TRON AND I LIVE IN THE EAST END.
I'M A THIRD GENERATION HOUSTONIAN.
WE NEED TO ASK OURSELVES HOW WE WANT TO BE REMEMBERED.
ARE WE PROUD OF WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND US? WHAT DO WE WANNA BE REMEMBERED FOR? MY PATERNAL GRANDFATHER, PETE CAME TO THIS COUNTRY FROM SICILY AS A BOY, AND HIS JOB IN THE COAL MINES OF COLORADO WAS TO GUIDE THE DONKEY THAT PULLED THE WAGON FULL OF COAL.
ON MY MOTHER'S SIDE, I FOUND AN ANCESTOR WHO CAME HERE AS AN INDENTURED SERVANT.
ALL OF THEM HAD HARD LIVES, BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO FACE THE ICE MACHINE.
DO WE KNOW WHERE WE CAME FROM? DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU CAME FROM? HOW DO WE WANT TO BE REMEMBERED? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING.
NEXT SPEAKER, IF YOU'LL REFRAIN FROM CLAPPING, CAN WE ASK EVERYONE TO NOT CLAP IN BETWEEN THE SPEAKERS? PLEASE NOT CLAP IN BETWEEN THE SPEAKERS.
I AM A MEMBER OF THE SISTERS OF CHARITY, THE INCARNATE WORD, AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT ONE IN EAST END.
I SPEAK TONIGHT WITH A MIGRATION WITH DIGNITY COALITION.
I AM HERE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE PROACTIVE IN PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF OUR IMMIGRANT BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN OUR CITY.
THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES FACING OUR CITY TODAY.
IN THE FACE OF INCREASING AND DEEPLY TROUBLING OVERREACH OF EYES AND DHS, WE MUST DO MORE TO ENSURE THEIR ACTIONS OFTEN ILLEGAL AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
TO NOT OVERSHADOW THE MISSION OF OUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, TO ESTABLISH TRUST AND COOPERATION BETWEEN OUR CITIES, POLICE AND ALL OF ITS RESIDENTS.
I URGE YOU TO UNTANGLE HP'S ALLIANCE WITH EYES AND ENSURE THE SAFETY AND DIGNITY OF ALL HOUSTONIANS.
CATHERINE GUTHRIE TO BE BY, TO BE FOLLOWED BY TAYLOR BROWN AROUND.
FIRST TIME I'VE TALKED TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
I'M WITH, UH, JOAQUIN MARTINEZ'S DISTRICT.
AND, UM, I LIVE IN THE EAST END.
I'M HERE WITH, UH, TRINITY CHURCH.
I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS A YOUNG GIRL AND HOW
[00:20:01]
WE WENT AND DID A HALLOWEEN TRICK OR TREAT WITH A POLICEMAN.WE WEREN'T SCARED OF THE POLICEMEN.
AND I WORRY ABOUT CHILDREN NOW THAT WILL START BECOME REALLY SCARED AND FEARFUL OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, UM, ESPECIALLY IF WE USE OUR HOUSTON POLICE, YOU KNOW, SOURCES TO HELP WITH ICE.
I WORRY ABOUT SCHOOLS BECAUSE I WAS AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR 40 YEARS.
THEY USED TO BE SACRED SPACES.
I WORKED WITH EARLY CHILDHOOD INTERVENTION WHERE I DID GO INTO HOMES OF IMMIGRANTS.
AGAIN, I WORRY ABOUT THIS, THE STATE OF OUR CHILDREN AND HOW THE FEAR AND THE HATRED THAT IS COMING WITH THIS ICE.
AND ALSO WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WORKING WITH NON-SAFETY ISSUES.
NEXT SPEAKER TAYLOR BROWN, TO BE FOLLOWED BY JALAN JOLANDA JONES.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT K I'M A REGISTERED NURSE IN THE CITY, UM, A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN WHO MOVED BACK TO THE CITY.
I RECEIVED MY DEGREES IN THIS CITY.
UM, BUT AS SOMEONE WHO'S NEWLY ENGAGED, WHO'S GROWING UP, WHO HAS, WOULD LIKE TO START A FAMILY, I CANNOT IN GOOD CONSCIOUSNESS GIVE BIRTH AND RAISE CHILDREN IN THE CITY.
AND I SAY THIS AS A NURSE WHO TAKES CARE OF WOMEN IN C-SECTIONS.
I HAVE NOTICED AN INCREASE IN MY PATIENTS BEING SCARED TO SPEAK TO ME OPENLY.
I'VE NOTICED AN INCREASE IN MY PATIENTS BEING DISHONEST.
UM, AND THEN YOU GO THROUGH THEIR RECORDS AND YOU FIND OUT INFORMATION THAT EXPLAINS WHY.
AND AS A BLACK WOMAN IN THIS CITY, UM, WHO HAS LIVED IN THIS CITY, WHO GREW UP IN THIS CITY, I HAVE NOTICED JUST A CONTINUING DOWNTURN, UM, IN THE ENERGY IN THIS CITY.
AND YES, I FOLLOW AND AGREE WITH EVERYONE ELSE WHO IS HERE FOR THE SAME REASONS IN TERMS OF GETTING HPD TO STOP.
YOU KNOW, WHAT WE ARE HERE FOR.
WE HAVE SAID THESE AT THE LAST, THIS IS NOT MY FIRST TIME SPEAKING HERE, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO SAY THIS.
I ACTUALLY JUST WANNA ALSO POINT OUT THAT I FOUND IT EXTREMELY DISRESPECTFUL LAST TIME FOR THE MEETING TO BE AJOUR EARLY.
YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED BECAUSE YOU DISLIKED WHAT PEOPLE WERE SAYING TO YOU.
THIS IS THE ONLY AVENUE THAT WE LEGALLY HAVE TO SPEAK TO YOU IN FRONT OF YOU.
I CANNOT LEAVE WORK EARLY BECAUSE I DO NOT LIKE MY PATIENCE.
I HAVE BEEN SPAT ON CALLED SLURS SLAPPED.
GO UP TO WORK BECAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO EVERY DAY.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO ACTUALLY DEEPLY LISTEN TO WHAT THESE PEOPLE ARE SAYING TO YOU REGARDLESS OF WHAT OTHER PRIVATE INTERESTS YOU MIGHT HAVE, REGARDLESS OF HOW YOU MAY FEEL ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING TO YOU.
I WOKE UP EARLY THIS MORNING, WENT TO WORK, GOT GAS TO COME HERE.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, AND I'LL SHOW UP TO WORK FOR TOMORROW.
AND I EXPECT THE SAME FROM MY, I VOTED YESTERDAY AFTER WORK.
I CONTINUE TO VOTE IN EVERY ELECTION.
EVERYONE ELSE HERE DESERVES TO BE HEARD AND NOT JUST TO BE HEARD, TO HAVE ACTION PUT BEHIND YOUR WORDS.
WORK IS DEAD AND I FEEL LIKE THIS IS DEAD.
NEXT SPEAKER, HONORABLE JOLANDA JONES TO BE FOLLOWED BY EMILY CHAPMAN.
COUNCIL MAYOR PROTI COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M THE STATE REPRESENTATIVE FOR HOUSE DISTRICT 1 47.
AND I USED ALSO USED TO SIT RIGHT THERE MM-HMM
WHERE COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS IS, BUT THAT'S NEITHER HERE NOR THERE.
I'M HERE REGARDING THE PROPOSED REPL INVOLVING 52 0 4 LIVE OAK IN THE CONTI, IN THE CONTIGUOUS PARCELS ALONG SOUTHMORE.
AND I'M HERE BECAUSE THE LAW, THE DEED RESTRICTIONS AND THE PEOPLE OF RIVERSIDE TERRACE ARE ALL BEING IGNORED.
I HAD AN INTENT TO SAY THIS FIRST, BUT I MADE A PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST BECAUSE I WAS TOLD TO AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, AS A STATE REP, THAT I HAD TO GO THROUGH CHANNELS OF LIKE CITIZENS AND NOT GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS TO REQUEST INFORMATION.
AND SO I WANT FOR THE RECORD TO SHOW THAT DORIAN POWELL LIGA P-H-L-E-G-M, HAS NOT RESPONDED TO MY REQUEST FOR INFORMATION OF PUBLIC INFORMATION.
AND, AND I'M OFFENDED BY THAT IN ANY CASE.
FIRST RIVERSIDE TERRACE HAS RECORDED DEED RESTRICTIONS AND THEY CONTROL THE PROPERTY.
THE PROPOSED COMMERCIAL USE VIOLATES THE EXPRESS LANGUAGE OF THOSE RESTRICTIONS.
THE RIVERSIDE TERRA DEED RESTRICTIONS STATE THAT NO PLACE OF BUSINESS OF ANY KIND SHALL BE CONSTRUCTED OR MAINTAINED, AND THAT THE PROPERTY SHALL BE USED FOR RESIDENTIAL PURPOSES SHALL IS MANDATORY LANGUAGE.
THESE RESTRICTIONS AUTOMATICALLY RENEW EVERY 15 YEARS UNLESS TERMINATED BY THE FEE SIMPLE OWNERS OF AT LEAST 75% OF THE FRONTAGE THROUGH A WRITTEN INSTRUMENT FILED AT LEAST FIVE YEARS IN ADVANCE.
THERE'S NO EVIDENCE THAT SUCH A TERMINATION INSTRUMENT WAS EVER RECORDED.
THAT MEANS THE DEED RESTRICTIONS REMAIN BINDING TODAY.
A CONVENIENCE STORE, GAS STATION AND ALCOHOL SALES
[00:25:01]
DIRECTLY VIOLATE THE MANDATORY RESIDENTIAL USE PROTECTIONS THAT GOVERN RIVERSIDE TERRACE.AND A REPL DOES NOT ERASE PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS AND LAW.
AND LET ME ADDRESS SOMETHING DIRECTLY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT SOMEWHERE IN THE CITY THERE, I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY THAT THIS IS NOT A DE RESTRICTED NEIGHBORHOOD.
I RESPECTFULLY SUBMIT TO YOU THAT IS ABSOLUTELY WRONG.
SECOND, THIS PROPOSAL IS NOT COMPLIANT WITH CHAPTER 42.
WHAT IS BEING PRESENTED AS A TECHNICAL REPL IS ANYTHING BUT TECHNICAL.
THE APPLICANT IS CARVING OUT A SMALL LIVE OAK PORTION OF A MULTIPLE CONTIGUOUS PARCELS, INCLUDING 25 32 SOUTHMORE, 52, 10 LIVE OAK.
AND I THINK THERE'S AT LEAST ONE OTHER ADDRESS IN ANY, IN ANY CASE, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA CUT TO THE CHASE.
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD DOES NOT WANT THIS.
I'M, I'M HOTTER THAN I'M I'LL.
COUNCIL, THANK YOU MAYOR, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM, AND GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE.
IT'S ONLY SUPPOSED TO BE RESIDENTIAL.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE CITY IS HELL BENT ON ALLOWING THEM TO PUT A CONVENIENCE STORE GAS STATION, WHICH INCREASES CRIME.
PEOPLE URINATE IN OUR YARDS, HAVE SEX IN OUR YARDS, LEAVE TRASH IN OUR YARDS WITH CONVENIENCE STORE GAS STATIONS, AND IT IS OFFENSIVE.
AND, AND WE ARE NOT GOING AWAY.
WE'RE GONNA SHOW UP TO THE MARCH 5TH PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, UH, UH, WHICH I'M ASKING YOU GUYS TO MOVE BECAUSE THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AND THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO RESPOND TO PUBLIC, UH, INFORMATION REQUESTS.
HAVE, HAVE YOU TALKED TO, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBER IN D BECAUSE SHE CAN HAVE THAT DEFERRED.
SHE'S IN D RIGHT NOW, SHE'S IN WASHINGTON DC RIGHT NOW.
WE CAN GET THE, WE CAN, WE CAN MAKE A REQUEST TO, A REQUEST TO HAVE IT DEFERRED.
AND RANDY, WHO IS THE, THE CITY ATTORNEY FOR THEIR AREA.
UH, NO, THIS WOULDN'T, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE A CITY ATTORNEY FOR THE AREA.
IT GOES THROUGH, UM, REAL ESTATE AND I THINK PLANNING IS LOOKING AT IT RIGHT NOW AND HAS OUTSIDE COUNSEL LOOKING AT IT.
I'LL DOUBLE, I'LL CIRCLE BACK WITH COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, SHABAZZ AND SEE WHO, WHICH ATTORNEY IS WORKING ON IT AND WE CAN GET THAT DEFERRED SO THAT Y'ALL CAN, UH, BE PREPARED FOR THE PLANNING MEETING AND THEY'RE LITERALLY GOING OUTTA THEIR WAY TO AVOID HAVING TO DO A, A VARIANCE.
AND ONCE, AND IF, IF YOU DO, IF YOU DO GRANT THIS REFL, YOU'RE GONNA TURN THIS INTO AN ASHBY HIGH RISE SITUATION WHERE THE CITY DIDN'T DO THE DUE DILIGENCE PRIOR AND NOW THEY HAVE A BIG OLD HIGH RISE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD.
WHERE THE MOST HOUSES ARE ONLY TWO STORIES.
AND ANYWAY, I'M HIGHER THAN FISH GREASE.
WE'LL, WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER AS WELL.
EMILY CHAPMAN TO BE FOLLOWED BY HANNAH ROMERO.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT C IN THE MONTROSE AREA AND SERVE A SENIOR PASTOR AT ST.
MARK'S UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, UH, WHICH IS IN THE HEIGHTS IN DISTRICT H AS AN 18 YEAR HOUSTONIAN.
MOST OF MY FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT OUR CITY EXIST BECAUSE OF OUR CITY'S IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES.
AND MY FAITH DEMANDS THAT I CARE ABOUT THE DIGNITY OF IMMIGRANTS.
A CARE SHARED BY MANY HOUSTONIANS OF ALL FAITHS, AND NONE AT ALL.
SO THIS TIME IN OUR COUNTRY DEMANDS OUR COURAGE AND TRANSFORMATION.
AND SO AS HOUSTON'S LEADERS, I AM HERE TODAY TO PLEAD WITH YOU TO DO EVERYTHING THAT YOU CAN TO PROTECT THE IMMIGRANTS THAT MAKE OUR CITY GREAT.
IN PARTICULAR, TODAY I ASK YOU TO REMOVE HPD FROM NON NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS THAT DO NOT ADDRESS THE ROOT ISSUES OF CRIME, AND INSTEAD SEND NONVIOLENT INDIVIDUALS INTO FOR-PROFIT PRISON SYSTEMS. ENDING NON-TRAFFIC SAFETY STOPS WOULD BENEFIT OUR COMMUNITIES WHILE LIMITING HARMS TO ON THE GROUND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR CARE, YOUR COMPASSION, AND TELL YOU THAT YOU ARE IN MY AND MY CHURCH'S PRAYERS AS YOU LEAD US.
HANNAH ROMERO TO BE FOLLOWED BY, TO BE FOLLOWED BY EILE MACGYVERS.
HI, MY NAME IS HANNAH ATKINS ROMERO AND I'M THE RECTOR AT TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN, UM, HOUSTON.
I'VE BEEN THE RECTOR THERE FOR 19 YEARS, AND I COME WITH THE MIGRATION WITH DIGNITY COALITION TO ASK FOR, UM, HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT TO TO, TO BEGIN A PROCESS OF, UH, DIMINISHING OR ERADICATING THE NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS.
BECAUSE, AND YOU ALL, UM, WE'VE SENT YOU ALL KINDS OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE STATISTICS, UM, ABOUT, UM, HOW THOSE NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS, UH, UH, UH, LEAD TO COLLUSION WITH ICE.
UH, AND WHEN THE, WHEN THE HOUSTON POLICE
[00:30:01]
DEPARTMENT THINK THAT THE, UM, PEOPLE DRIVING DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT DOCUMENTS, SO IT DOESN'T HELP.WELL, YOU'RE GONNA HEAR MORE FROM US.
WE'RE ORGANIZING BAPTIST, ROMAN, CATHOLICS, EVANGELICALS, METHODISTS ALL OVER.
WE HAVE 20 HERE TONIGHT AND WE'RE GONNA KEEP ON GOING.
NEXT SPEAKER, EILE MACGYVERS EILE MACGYVERS TO BE FOLLOWED BY SAMUEL JESSE.
MY NAME IS AILE MCKEEVER AND I'M A DISTRICT E RESIDENT, A QUAKER, AND THE DAUGHTER OF TWO IMMIGRANTS WHO CARES DEEPLY FOR THE WELLBEING AND SAFETY OF MY COMMUNITY.
AND TODAY I'M HERE TO URGE YOU LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, TO REMOVE HPD FROM NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS AND PUT AN END TO HPD COLLABORATION WITH ICE.
COLLABORATION WITH ICE IS ACTIVELY DESTRUCTIVE TO IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES ACROSS OUR CITY AND CREATES A CULTURE OF FEAR AND MISTRUST.
BEING UNDOCUMENTED IS NOT A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
BEING UNDOCUMENTED IS NOT A CRIMINAL OFFENSE AND SHOULD NOT BE TREATED AS SUCH.
PULLING SOMEONE OVER BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX A BROKEN WINDSHIELD AND THEN IMMEDIATELY CALLING ICE DOES MUCH MORE TO PUNISH THE MOST MARGINALIZED IN OUR COMMUNITIES THAN HELP KEEP OUR ROADS SAFE.
AGAIN, I URGE YOU TO REMOVE HPD FROM NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS AND PUT AN IMMEDIATE AND PERMANENT END TO HPD COLLABORATION WITH ICE.
LUKE CHISHOLM TO BE FOLLOWED BY KANE KEANO.
MY NAME IS LUKE CHISHOLM AND I'M A HOUSTON RESIDENT.
TODAY I'M IMPLORING HPD TO ABSTAIN FROM NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS AND END.
THEIR COLLABORATION WITH ICE, ICE IS PARTICIPATING IN A REIGN OF VIOLENCE IN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES AND HPD IS COOPERATING WITH THEM, FURTHER BETRAYING ANY NOTION THAT OUR POLICE ARE MEANT TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY OF OUR PEOPLE.
BEING UNDOCUMENTED IS NOT A CRIMINAL OFFENSE AND DISRUPTING OUR ROADS AND OUR COMMUNITIES TO REPORT STRUGGLING AND MARGINALIZED INDIVIDUALS TO THE, TO THE ONE OF THE LARGEST MILITARY FORCES IN THE WORLD TO BENEFIT THE INTERESTS OF AUTHORITARIAN PARTIES IS SIMPLY CRUEL.
THESE ACTIONS DESTROY FAMILIES IN THE FUTURE WELLBEING OF OUR SOCIETY.
IF ANY INTEGRITY EXISTS IN HPD, THEY NEED TO REMOVE OFFICERS FROM NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS AND IN COLLABORATION WITH ICE.
MARIA BATISTA TO BE FOLLOWED BY LINDSAY BURROWS.
MY NAME IS MARIA RESA RIOS AND I SERVE AS A PRIEST AT TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH AND A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT KI COME TO YOU TONIGHT, NOT AS JUST, NOT JUST NOT AS CLERGY, BUT AS AN AFRO-LATINA WOMAN, THE DAUGHTER OF TWO NATURALIZED CITIZENS, AND THE WIFE OF AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER WHO WATCHES A STUDENT STRUGGLE EACH DAY AFRAID THEIR PARENTS WON'T BE THERE TO PICK THEM UP.
HE HAS LOST ALREADY FOUR STUDENTS DUE TO DEPORTATIONS.
THIS ISN'T FAIR TO OUR TEACHERS NOR STUDENTS.
THIS IS WHAT NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS DOES AND WHAT ICE COLLABORATION DOES TO OUR COMMUNITIES.
THEY'RE NOT MAKING ANYONE FEEL SAFER, THEY'RE MAKING US AFRAID.
WE'RE ASKING THIS COUNCIL TO PASS AN ORDINANCE ENDING NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS AND TO SEIZE ALL COLLABORATION WITH ICE.
PROVERBS 31 COMMANDS US TO SPEAK UP FOR THOSE WHO COMMAND, WHO CANNOT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES AND DEFEND THE RIGHTS OF THE POOR AND NEEDY.
TONIGHT I'M SPEAKING UP IN SO MANY OTHERS.
LINDSEY BURROWS TO BE FOLLOWED BY ADRIAN AMESQUITA.
I'M HERE TONIGHT URGING YOU TO END NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS.
THESE STOPS ARE LITERALLY JUST HARMING OUR COMMUNITY AND THEY DO NOT CONTRIBUTE TO MAKING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SAFER.
THEY'RE A WASTE OF TIME AND TAX DOLLARS PER HPDS OWN REPORTING.
THEY RARELY RESORT RESULT IN ANY ARREST OR FINDING CONTRABAND OR ANYTHING EVEN REMOTELY USEFUL RATHER THAN NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS AND THEY INCREASE THE RISK TO OUR COMMUNITY DISPROPORTIONATELY, OUR BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
THE FREQUENCY AND AMOUNT OF TIME SPENT ON THESE NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS ONLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE DISTRUST HOUSTON HAS TOWARDS OUR POLICE OFFICERS.
THERE THERE ARE REPORTS THAT NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS CAN TAKE UP TO 40 MINUTES.
I CAN GET ACROSS TOWN IN THAT TIME.
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MEMBERS, PLEASE END THE NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS AND STOP THE HARASSMENT OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS, YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR FAMILY, AND YOUR NEIGHBORS.NEXT SPEAKER, ADRIAN AMESQUITA TO BE FOLLOWED BY SAMANTHA RAINMAN.
GOOD EVENING, HOW ARE YOU? PRETTY GOOD.
UH, REPRESENTATIVE, THE LARGEST HISPANIC PASTORAL NETWORK IN OUR CITY WITH MORE THAN 130 CHURCHES, UNITED AND FAITH IN SERVICE, I RESPECTFULLY URGED TO LIMIT CORPORATION WITH ICE.
THOSE WHO COMMIT CRIMES SHOULD BE INDEED HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND REMOVED.
BUT THE GOOD HARDWORKING PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES DESERVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REMAIN HERE, TO LIVE IN PEACE AND TO BUILD A FUTURE FOR THEIR FAMILIES WITHOUT FEAR.
LET US CHOOSE COMPASSION ALONGSIDE JUSTICE AND HUMANITY ALONGSIDE LAW.
OUR COMMUNITIES FLOURISH WHEN DIGNITY, MERCY, AND WISDOM GUIDE OUR DECISIONS.
IF WE CAN REFRAIN FROM CLAPPING IN BETWEEN SPEAKERS, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US TO KEEP THE MEETING MOVING.
NEXT SPEAKER MAX EMILIANO DIAZ.
MAX EMILIANO DIAZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY DESTINY PLANTER.
I'M THE SON OF AN IMMIGRANT, MARRIED TO ONE AND A HOUSTON RESIDENT.
I'M DISGUSTED BY THE CITY, UH, CHOOSING TO IGNORE THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE.
I HAVE IMMIGRANT FAMILY WHO IS ALREADY SCARED AS IT IS, AND THIS A BETRAYAL TO THEM AND TO THE REST OF THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY.
I'VE HEARD THE EXCUSES BY THE CITY COUNCIL, BUT SB FOUR STATES THAT LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT IS REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH VALID ICE DETAINERS, NOT ICE ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANTS.
STOP HPD COLLABORATION WITH ICE AND END THE NON-SAFE TRAFFIC STOPS.
NEXT SPEAKER DE DESTINY PLANTER.
THANK YOU LORD TO BE FOLLOWED BY BRITTANY FRANCIS.
I'M A CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY AT PEOPLE'S COUNCIL, WHICH IS A SMALL BUT MIGHTY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT BELIEVES THAT EVERY SURVIVOR OF POLICE VIOLENCE DESERVES AN ADVOCATE.
AND SO WE ARE THOSE ADVOCATES.
WE LITIGATE, WE INVESTIGATE AND WE ADVOCATE.
AND THROUGH OUR WORK WE HAVE SEEN THE HORRORS OF NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS.
WE HAVE SEEN PEOPLE PULLED OVER FOR SMALL THINGS AND THEN THE SITUATION ESCALATES DRAMATICALLY.
I HAVE CASES RIGHT NOW WHERE CLIENTS HAVE HAD THEIR RIGHTS VIOLATED, THEY HAVE BEEN ATTACKED, THEY HAVE BEEN BRUTALIZED.
SO THE STORIES ARE CLEAR, THE DATA IS CLEAR.
DO NOT KEEP BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE ME, PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN HOUSTON SAFE.
BRITTANY FRANCIS TO BE FOLLOWED BY MAUREEN O'CONNELL.
MY NAME IS BRITTANY FRANCIS AND I'M EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PEOPLE'S COUNSEL AND I'M HERE WITH MY COLLEAGUE DESTINY PLANTER.
I'M ALSO THE PROUD DAUGHTER OF IMMIGRANTS.
EVERY WEEK MY OFFICE SPEAKS WITH HOUSTON RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN BRUTALIZED BY POLICE OFFICERS, BY THE VERY PEOPLE WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO BE PROTECTING THEM.
AND THE TRAGEDY OF MY JOB IS THAT I'M ALMOST ALWAYS TOO LATE.
I CAN FIGHT FOR ACCOUNTABILITY, BUT I CAN'T TURN BACK TIME IN A DRIVING CITY LIKE HOUSTON, TRAFFIC STOPS ARE THE MOST FREQUENT INTERACTION BETWEEN COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THE POLICE.
AND SO QUICKLY A LOW LEVEL INFRACTION TURNS INTO SOMEONE LOSING THEIR LIFE, WHETHER IT'S ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN HARRIS COUNTY JAIL OR IN A NICE DETENTION FACILITY.
IT'S HEARTBREAKING, AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY.
COMPREHENSIVE NATIONAL STUDIES HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES PEOPLE ARE PULLED OVER FOR TRAFFIC INFRACTIONS, IT DOES NOT IMPROVE THE SAFETY OF OUR ROADWAYS.
WE HAVE A MORAL AND A CONSTITUTIONAL OBLIGATION TO PROTECT OUR NEIGHBORS BY ENDING NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS.
I'M SISTER MAUREEN O'CONNELL, A DOMINICAN SISTER, A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT G AND A MEMBER OF THE MIGRATION WITH DIGNITY GROUP.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO RAISE MY CONCERNS FOR THE PEOPLE OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE BEING TRAUMATIZED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S APPROACH TO IMMIGRATION.
I'M HESITANT TO USE THE TERM COLLATERAL DAMAGE,
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BUT IT'S THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE THE TRAUMA.I FEAR THAT OUR POLICE OFFICERS AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE EXPERIENCING WHEN THEY ARE EXPECTED TO COLLABORATE WITH ICE AND IDENTIFYING AND DETAINING OUR IMMIGRANT SISTERS AND BROTHERS.
I HOPE THAT WE MIGHT ALREADY UNDERSTAND THE STRESS THAT THESE WOMEN AND MEN EXPERIENCE IN THEIR EVERYDAY ASSIGNMENTS AND THE STRESS THEIR FAMILIES EXPERIENCE WHEN MOM OR DAD LEAVE FOR WORK.
HOWEVER, GIVEN THE CURRENT CLIMATE IN THIS CLIMATE COUNTRY AND THE PERCEPTION THAT MANY HAVE ABOUT ONE MIGHT, WHETHER ONE SHOULD TRUST A POLICE OFFICER, I CANNOT HELP BUT THINK THE TRAUMA EXPERIENCED BY OUR IMMIGRANT BROTHERS AND SISTERS SPILLS OVER TO ALL OF US AND PARTICULARLY OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WHO PLEDGE TO SERVE AND PROTECT YOUR, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED, BUT NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN ACTIVITIES THAT DISREGARD CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND SIDESTEP THE LAW.
CAMILLA AMADOR TO BE FOLLOWED BY KOFI THARCO.
MY NAME IS CAMILA GLIN AND I'M A 16-YEAR-OLD STUDENT IN HOUSTON, HERE IN HOUSTON.
I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO YOU ALL TO PLEASE REVISE HPD GENERAL ORDER 500 0 5 RIGHT NOW.
IT SAYS, OFFICERS SHALL CONTACT ICE AFTER POSSIBLE HIT EVEN DURING NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS.
AND THAT ONE WORD, SHE TURNS ORDINARY ENCOUNTERS INTO GATEWAY TO DEPORTATION.
AND THIS FEAR FOLLOWS STUDENTS INTO SCHOOLS.
AS A STUDENT IN HRSD, I HAVE WITNESSED CLASSROOMS BECOME PLACES OF ANXIETY INSTEAD OF LEARNING.
I PLEAD WITH YOU ALL TO USE THE POWER THAT YOU DO HAVE TO REVISE THE ORDER AND EDIT SHALL TO MAY AND MAKE CLEAR THAT IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT DOES NOT BELONG IN OUR NEAR SCHOOLS.
HOUSTON'S YOUTH DESERVE CLASSROOMS, NOT CHECKPOINTS, AND I REFUSE TO KEEP WALKING INTO CLASSROOMS WITH EMPTY SEATS.
THANK YOU KOFI TEKA TO BE FOLLOWED BY MARIE ALAZAR.
I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE, THE HONOR AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF BEING THE NATIONAL CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL BLACK UNITED FRONT.
WE ARE LOCATED WITHIN 300 FEET OF THIS PROPOSED GAS STATION.
I HAVE A PETITION I'D LIKE TO DISTRIBUTE TO YOU TO THE RIGHT.
WE STAND AGAINST THIS GAS STATION AND THESE PARASITIC ROOFLESS DEVELOPERS.
I'M HERE BECAUSE WE AS A ORGANIZATION HAVE BEEN THERE 30 YEARS.
WE HELPED TURN A CRACK HOUSE INTO A COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION.
THE QUESTION WE HAVE IS MAYOR WHITMEYER AND COUNCIL PEOPLE, WILL YOU STAND WITH US AGAINST THIS ATTACK BY THESE PARASITIC RUTHLESS DEVELOPERS ON OUR HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD? MR. COFFEE, THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY.
I KNOW THAT, UM, INGRAM FROM DISTRICT D IS HERE.
UM, AND WE HEARD ALSO FROM STATE REPRESENTATIVE JOLANDA JOLANDA JONES.
UM, SO I KNOW THAT THE DISTRICT D OFFICE IS GOING TO WORK ON A DEFERRAL SO WE CAN GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR, UH, D RESTRICTIONS AND ALSO GO THROUGH THE LEGAL PROCESS TO SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE.
UM, SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS NOT FALLING ON DEAF EARS.
WE HAVE A VERY SIMILAR SITUATION IN DISTRICT K WITH A LOT OF, UM, GAS STATIONS GOING ON EVERY CORNER.
UM, WE HAVE GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS OF A RA AND TRIED TO, UM, DO A MORATORIUM.
UH, WITH TEXAS BEING SUCH A STRONG PROPERTY RIGHTS STATE, IT'S, IT'S BEEN VERY DIFFICULT.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE WILL, UM, DEFINITELY WORK WITH THE DISTRICT, UH D OFFICE TO SEE IF WE CAN GET THAT DEFERRAL AND MAKE SURE WE GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE PROCESS WITH YOUR COMMUNITY AS WELL.
UM, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT MY NEIGHBORS ARE, WHO ARE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE, BE ABLE TO COME UP BEHIND ME AND WE THE NEXT NAME, WHAT'S THEIR NAME? DO YOU HAVE UH, THERE'S A LOT OF 'EM BACK THERE.
YEAH, WE'LL, WE'LL ACCOMMODATE.
OKAY, WE'LL WE'LL CALL 'EM UP NOW.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I MENTIONED BROTHER PASTOR COUNCILMAN, IS THAT WE HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN SOME OF THESE FIGHTS WITH THE CITY FOR DECADES, EVEN GOING BACK TO THE GREAT LINWOOD JOHNSON AND ALLEN PARKWAY VILLAGE IN FREEDMAN'S TOWN.
AND WE ARE CALLING ON YOU TO STAND WITH US IN A VERY NICE CIVILIZED MANNER AGAINST
[00:45:01]
THESE PARASITIC RUTHLESS DEVELOPERS BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW RUTHLESS THEY ARE.WE'RE ACTUALLY STARTING WITH THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY.
WE'VE HAD CONTACT, IT'S A SENIOR CITIZEN THAT'S HAD THE PROPERTY IN HER FAMILY FOR YEARS, SO WE'RE ACTUALLY COMMUNICATING WITH HER.
BUT, UH, AS THE MAYOR PROTI SAYS, WE'VE GOTTA PRO FOLLOW THE PROCESS, BUT CERTAINLY OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMMUNITY CONCERN IS VERY MUCH ON OUR MINDS.
IT GIVES US THE MOMENTUM WE NEED, BUT WE'VE GOT TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OR WE'LL ALL END UP IN COURT, WHICH MIGHT BE AN OPTION.
I DON'T HAVE A WAY TO FIND DO WE? WHY DON'T, WHY DON'T WE DO THIS? IT'S A LITTLE OUT OF ORDER, BUT BY THAT SUBJECT MATTER, WHY DON'T YOU COME UP ONE AT A TIME AND SPEAK AND WE'LL FIND YOU ON THE SPEAKER'S LIST IF AND, AND I HOPE, UH, THOSE THAT WE'RE JUMPING IN FRONT OF UNDERSTAND, I THINK IT'S CONSISTENT WITH US BEING ABLE TO HEAR IT BY SUBJECT TONIGHT.
STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
HELLO, MY NAME IS RONALD STATE.
STATE YOUR NAME, STATE YOUR NAME, WHO YOU, YOUR NAME
AND I LIVE IN THE RIVERSIDE TERRACE NEIGHBORHOOD IN MY PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE WHEN ISSUES ARISE, WE CONDUCT A ROOF CAUSE ANALYSIS TO IDENTIFY THE UNDERLYING PROBLEM.
RIVERSIDE TERRACE HAS A PROBLEM IN LESS THAN 800 YARDS FROM SOUTHMORE ALAMEDA TO SOUTHMORE AND LIBO.
WE HAVE THREE STOP AND ROB STORES.
YOU CALL 'EM CONVENIENCE STORES.
ONE IS BASICALLY A LIQUOR STORE AND A SMOKE SHOP.
THE REMAINING TWO YOU GET HASSLED BY PANHANDLER.
AND NEXT AT FIVE 11 EMAN 5 51 11 EMANCIPATION AT SOUTHMORE, THERE'S A HALFWAY HOUSE OF ALL MALE RESIDENTS WHO ARE, IT SEEMS TO BE A HALFWAY HOUSE 'CAUSE THAT'S ALL THAT'S THERE AT 25 0 5 SOUTHMORE, THERE'S A MENTAL HEALTH INSTITUTE.
HOW DID THAT GET THERE? AT 24 12, THERE'S A SOUTHMORE, THERE'S A DILAPIDATED DIMLY RUN APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT IS THE SEAT OF CRIME, PROSTITUTION, DRUGS, PANHANDLING AND HOMELESSNESS IN DISTRICT D.
AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO GET A FOURTH STOP.
AND ROB, THAT'S LESS THAN A MILE 0.4.
BETWEEN ALAMEDA AND LIVE VOTE.
I URGE YOU TO STOP THIS ABOMINATION.
WE SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT'S NOT WEST GOING ON THIS NET.
IT'S NOT IN RIVER OAKS, IT'S NOT IN TANGLEWOOD.
IT'S NOT IN NO AFFLUENT NEIGHBORHOODS.
RIVERSIDE TERRORS SHOULD NOT BE SUBJECTED TO THIS YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO MY PLEA.
UM, I WANNA THANK THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO CAME OUT TO OUR MEETING LAST FRIDAY AND SHOW SUPPORT FOR US.
UM, I WANNA TAKE A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT APPROACH AND I KNOW THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
UH, HARRIS COUNTY HAS A DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POSTING RIGHT NOW, SPECIFICALLY FOR PRECINCT TWO THAT TALKS ABOUT ATTRACTING NEW BUSINESSES.
SO ONE THING THAT I'M INTERESTED IN IS LEARNING HOW THE CITY'S CITY OF HOUSTON'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, HOW DOES IT PARTNER WITH BUSINESSES THAT WANT TO COME TO THE COMMUNITY? I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHO I CAN CONTACT FOR MORE INFORMATION BECAUSE I AM NOT AGAINST DEVELOPMENT, BUT WE WANT THINGS THAT ADD VALUE TO OUR COMMUNITY AND NOT JUST TO THE BUSINESS OWNERS.
SO I KNOW THAT WE HAVE TOURIST DOLLARS, I HAVE CONTACTED AND ACTUALLY PARTICIPATED ON THE TOUR SEVEN, WHICH IS WHAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD RIVERSIDE IS A PART OF.
AND I WILL MEET WITH THEM SEPARATELY.
BUT AGAIN, I KNOW THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND I WANNA KNOW HOW ARE THOSE FUNDS DISTRIBUTED BY DISTRICTS AND WHAT IS BEING DONE? WHAT IS THE STRATEGY INITIATIVES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO US? VERY GOOD.
WHY DON'T YOU TALK TO MY CHIEF STAFF.
CYNTHIA, WILL YOU VISIT THIS LADY AND ARRANGE FOR HER TO TALK TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR? OKAY, THANK YOU.
AND GET ALL THE INFORMATION SHE REQUESTS.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UH, MY NAME IS SHARON EVANS BROOKS AND ON BEHALF OF 5,000 HOUSEHOLDS, UH, IN REPRESENTING SIX CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS IN MCGREGOR, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
TAMAR BELL WASN'T GOT CAUGHT UP IN TRAFFIC AND MISSED WHEN HER NAME WAS CALLED, BUT I'M HERE TO RAISE YOUR AWARENESS OF THE PROPOSED GAS STATION, WHICH YOU'RE ALREADY AWARE OF.
AND, UM, I, MY PRIOR NEIGHBOR POINTED
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OUT THAT THIS, UH, CAR DOOR IS A HOTSPOT, UH, FOR CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.SO WE UNDERSTAND THAT IN THE ABSENCE OF ZONING, HOUSTON'S NEIGHBORHOODS, ESPECIALLY IN HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS, WE'RE DYING.
WE ARE VICTIMS OF THE WILD, WILD WEST OF DEVELOPERS WHO BRAZENLY PLAY LOOSE WITH ORDINANCES AND COULD CARE LESS ABOUT THE WRECKAGE THEY DUMP INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
DEVELOPERS ARE KEENLY AWARE THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON INVESTIGATION RE INVESTIGATORS AND RESOURCES ARE STRETCHED THIN, OFTEN SEEMINGLY RUBBER STAMPING APPLICATIONS FOR REPL AND CERTAIN, CERTAINLY FOR OCCUPANCY PERMITS WITHOUT PERFORMING THEIR DUE DILIGENCE REQUIRED BY THE ORDINANCE.
IN THIS INSTANCE, WE STAKEHOLDERS EMPLOY EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER I'M PLANNING TO LOOK CLOSELY, INVESTIGATE AND ASK REALLY TOUGH, HAS REALLY POINTED QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR COMING AND UH, THANK YOU.
AS YOU KNOW, WE WAS A PART OF THE MEETING THAT HAS BEEN TAKING PLACE SINCE LAST FRIDAY AND, UH, OUR TOWN HALL MEETING IN RIVERSIDE.
AND AS A RESIDENT THAT MYSELF, LEMME ASK YOU THE QUESTION AND MANY THOSE THAT ARE COMING BEHIND YOU, HOW DO, WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ABOUT A ZONING ZONING
WE HAVE RECEIVED SO MANY CALLS FROM STAKEHOLDERS AND RESIDENTS IN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOUR DISTRICTS, BARRING ONE 'CAUSE WE'VE KEPT A TALLY AND EVERYONE TO THE MAN AND TO THE WOMAN SAY, WE'VE GOTTA GET ZONING IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO YOU THINK THAT IF THAT INITIATIVE WAS PUT BACK IN PLACE, ARE YOU CONFIDENT TO BELIEVE THAT OTHER PEOPLE THAT DON'T LIVE IN RIVERSIDE OR MCGREGOR TERRACE WOULD WOULD JUMP ON BOARD WITH IT ALL? ABSOLUTELY.
IT, IT'S, IT'S PERSONAL TO US ABSOLUTELY BECAUSE IT'S OUR HOMES THAT ALIGN AND ABUT THEM.
BUT IT'S HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND ALL OF YOUR, ALL OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE CALLING AND TALKING ABOUT IT.
I THINK THERE'S A WAY TO GET IT DONE WITHOUT THERE INTERRUPTING DEVELOPMENT, BUT AS PARTLY WE WANT DEVELOPMENT.
BUT AS THEY SAY, ALL MONEY AIN'T GOOD MONEY.
AND ALL DEVELOPMENT'S NOT GOOD DEVELOPMENT.
I LIVE AT LIVE OAK AND OAKDALE STREETS WITH MY WIFE, MY 83-YEAR-OLD FATHER DIRECTLY BEHIND THIS PROPOSED GAS STATION.
IF THIS DEVELOPMENT PROCEEDS, OUR HOME BECOMES UNSELLABLE.
AS A DISABLED COMBAT VETERAN WITH BURN PIT EXPOSURE, THE CARCINOGENS TERRIFY ME WILL BE, WILL BE THE GROUND ZERO FOR CRIME, NOISE AND LIGHT POLLUTION.
THE STRENGTH OF OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF THE PROXIMITY TO THE PRO PROPOSED GAS STATION, MY FAMILY HAS BECOME THE COMMUNITY HUB IN THIS FIGHT.
AND WHAT WE'VE WITNESSED IS REMARKABLE, TANGIBLE, PERSONAL SUPPORT FROM NEIGHBORS, FROM CIVIC GROUPS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS.
WE'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND HOW STRONG RIVERSIDE TERRACE IS.
TOGETHER WE HAVE THE PROFESSIONAL SKILLS, THE KNOWLEDGE, AND THE LIQUID CAPITAL TO MOUNT AN EFFECTIVE DEFENSE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO LET ME BE CLEAR TO THE DEVELOPER IF THEY'RE HERE, THIS IS NOT A BATTLE YOU WILL WIN.
WE ARE PREPARED TO FIGHT AND MAKE THIS A HIGHLY VISIBLE ISSUE ACROSS HOUSTON TO CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR WHITMEYER, PLEASE KNOW THAT WE ARE ALL SINGLE ISSUE VOTERS ON THIS, SO PLEASE STAND WITH US AND HELP US BLOCK THE GAS STATION.
MAYOR PROCEDURAL MOTION TO ADD SARAH SED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE FIRST PAGE BELOW.
THOSE OPPOSED A MOTION PASSES.
MY NAME IS JULIA SAUNDERS AND I'M HERE TO STRONGLY OPPOSE THE PROPOSED GAS STATION AND CONVENIENCE STORE DIRECTLY BEHIND MY HOME ON THE CORNER OF SOUTH WARREN LIVE OAK.
THIS DEVELOPMENT PRESENTS SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS, INCLUDING INCREASED TRAFFIC HAZARD, LATE NIGHT ACTIVITY, AND A HIGHER RISK OF CRIME.
IT ALSO INTRODUCES HEALTH, HEALTH RISKS FROM AIR POLLUTION AND WATER POLLUTANTS TO PERSISTENT NOISE, NONE OF WHICH BELONGS IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
LET ME BE CLEAR, THIS IS A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD BEYOND SAFETY AND HEALTH.
A PROJECT LIKE THIS WOULD IN INEVITABLY LOWER SURROUNDING PROPERTY VALUES, HARMING HOMEOWNERS WHO HAVE INVESTED THEIR LIVES AND THEIR SAVINGS INTO THIS COMMUNITY.
ADDITIONALLY, THERE ARE MULTIPLE ISSUES OF THE DEVELOPER'S PROPOSAL, INCLUDING OMISSIONS IN THE REPL APPLICATION AND A DISREGARD TO DEED RESTRICTIONS THAT GOVERN THIS PROPERTY.
FOR ME AND FOR MANY RESIDENTS, THIS IS A ONE ISSUE VOTING CONCERN.
ANY HOUSTON CITY MEMBER WHO HAS THE ABILITY TO STOP THIS AND DOES NOT STOP THIS WILL NOT RECEIVE MY VOTE.
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WE EXPECT RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP THAT PROTECTS ITS RESIDENTS, NOT DEVELOPERS.GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
I'M THE NEIGHBOR OF THE SAUNDERS.
AND, AND REMINDING, UH, YOU ALL THAT THE RESIDENTS OF THIS CITY REALLY DE DESERVE TO NOT BE A PART OF SPECULATIVE DEVELOPERS.
WE DESERVE TO BE SERVED BY YOU ALL.
PARTICULARLY THIS DEVELOPMENT SEEMS DISINGENUOUS BECAUSE THERE ARE LOOPHOLES AT PLAY THAT WERE EXPECTED THAT WE WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND BETTER.
BUT WE DO AND WE ARE MANDATING THAT THIS HAS NOT ONLY THE SOLUTION FOR OUR COMMUNITY, BUT FOR COMMUNITIES LIKE OURS.
WE MANDATE TRUST, CLARITY, AND ACTUAL COMPLETION OF WHAT HAPPENS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITIES ARE SAFE.
AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THEN WE ARE A BETTER HOUSTON TOGETHER.
UH, THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD.
SO YOU MENTIONED LOOPHOLES AT PLAY.
CAN YOU ELABORATE A LITTLE MORE ON THAT? SPECIFICALLY IN THE APPLICATION, THERE'S ONE PORTION OF THE APPLICATION FOR REPL THAT'S ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET, BUT IT COMPLETELY AVOIDS THE MAIN THOROUGHFARE IS ON SOUTHMORE.
AND TO PUT IT ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE, IT ALLOWS IT TO GO THROUGH WITHOUT ANY VARIANCE.
BUT IF THEY WERE TO PUT IT ON SOUTHMORE, THERE WOULD BE VARIANCES.
SO IT'S DISINGENUOUS IF YOU EXPECT US TO BE ABLE TO COME AND TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT HOW WE PAY OUR TAXES, HOW WE KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES CLEAN, THAT'S GREAT.
BUT WE ALSO DESERVE TO HAVE HONEST, THOROUGH INFORMATION ABOUT OUR HEALTH AND SAFETY.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT THROUGH THAT REPL IT INTRODUCES VERY HARMFUL COMPONENTS LIKE BENZENE INTO THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE A TON OF KIDS, HOUSTON'S FUTURE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND SO WE'RE NOT DUMB ENOUGH TO JUST GO FOR THE OKIE-DOKE.
I'M TRAVIS MCEE, SOUTH PARK SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD PRESIDENT, SUNNYSIDE CIVIC LEADER.
UH, WE HAVE DIFFERENT ADDRESSES, THE SAME PROBLEMS. IT'S PRETTY SOON WE ARE GONNA HAVE MORE GAS STATIONS THAN CHURCHES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
SOME PEOPLE LOOK OUT THEIR BACK WINDOW, THEY HAVE A GAS STATION IN THEIR BACKYARD.
SOME PEOPLE LOOK ON THE SIDE OF THEIR HOUSE, THEY HAVE A GAS STATION IN THEIR BACKYARD.
WE NEED ZONING, ZONING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
MOST OF THE UNDESIRABLES, THE OUTSOURCE, THE BAD BUSINESS, ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES ARE ALL DUMPED IN BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES.
BUT MY QUESTION IS, WHO'S GIVEN THE PERMITS OUT? EVEN WITH D RESTRICTIONS, IF THAT DEVELOPER GOT BIG POCKETS, THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT D RESTRICTIONS.
SO WE NEED THE CITY TO STEP IN AND HELP US WITH THIS.
THE JUNKYARDS, THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, THE CRUSHED CONCRETE PLANTS, ANYTHING YOU NAME, THEY'RE DUMPED IN BLACK AND BROWN NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE HAVE SOME OF THE WORST AIR QUALITY IN THE SUNNY SIDE SOUTH PARK AREA AND WE ARE STILL PUTTING THESE COMMERCIAL TRUCKS.
AND I ALSO NEED TO KNOW YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
IT'S THE ONLY ASKING FOR THIS VARIANCE TO DEVELOP.
AND IF SO, WHO'S GRANT THAT? GOOD JOB.
HI, MY NAME IS JASON POLAND AND I LIVE ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE FUEL DEPOT.
SOUTHMORE REPL, A CONVENIENCE STORE GAS STATION DOES NOT BELONG IN THE MIDDLE OF A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE CONGESTION AND ON-STREET PARKING ALONG SOUTHMORE AND LIVE OAK IS ALREADY SO BAD.
MY NEIGHBOR WORRIES IF AN AMBULANCE WILL BE ABLE TO REACH HER DURING AN EMERGENCY.
RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT DOES NOT MAKE CITIZENS FEAR FOR THEIR LIVES.
PEER REVIEWED STUDIES PROVE THAT CHILDREN LIVING WITHIN 300 FEET OF GAS STATIONS ARE TWICE AS LIKELY TO DEVELOP LEUKEMIA AND LIFELONG RESPIRATORY DISABILITIES.
THIS GAS STATION IS LITERALLY IN OUR BACKYARDS, GROUND ZERO TRIPLING THE LIKELIHOOD OF CANCER AND CHRONIC DISEASES.
FOR MY NEIGHBORS AND THEIR CHILDREN, PLEASE DENY THE FUEL DEPOT SOUTHMORE REPL.
FURTHERMORE, I FULLY SUPPORT AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD PROTECT OUR FAMILY'S HEALTH BY STRENGTHENING THE DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS BETWEEN GAS STATIONS AND SENSITIVE LOCATIONS LIKE HOMES.
HI, MY NAME IS TATIANA REPINSKI.
I CAME HERE A FEW MONTHS AGO TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST A GAS STATION THAT WAS PLANNED TO BE BUILT JUST FEET FROM HOMES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S HAPPENING NOW IN THE THIRD WARD.
THERE'S CURRENTLY A PROPOSED ORDINANCE THAT WOULD SET MINIMUM DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS BETWEEN GAS STATIONS AND HOMES.
IT'S CURRENTLY WITH ADMINISTRATION AND WE URGE YOU ALL TO CONTINUE ADVOCATING FOR THIS TO KEEP MOVING IT FORWARD.
THIS IS A PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN, UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS EXPOSED RESIDENTS LIVING NEXT TO THEM TO BENZENE, WHICH CAN CAUSE CANCER.
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ASKING YOU TO TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT OUR FAMILIES.WE NEED A PERMANENT SOLUTION FOR THE THIRD WARD, FOR THE SIXTH WARD, AND FOR ALL HOUSTONIANS, PLEASE KEEP MOVING THIS FORWARD.
THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN HERE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THIS IS ALSO IMPACTING NEIGHBORHOODS IN DISTRICT H AS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, I WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT Y'ALL'S EFFORTS FOR, UH, SOME TYPE OF, OF PROTECTIONS AND WORK WITH THE ADMINISTRATION.
SAMUEL WAGNER TO BE FOLLOWED BY JAN FORNEY.
I, UH, LIVE IN THE MIDTOWN AREA AND I'M HERE TO ASK FOR, UH, THE AUSTIN STREET BIKE LANE TO BE RECONSTRUCTED SOUTH OF GRAY STREET.
UH, I WAS RECENTLY READ THAT, UH, THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD IS, UM, WELL ON THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD THAT THEY'RE EXTENDING THE BAYOU TRAILS FROM AUSTIN AT THE END UP TO THE WHITE OAK BAYOU, UH, THE WHITE OAK BAYOU TRAILS.
AND SO IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE UNDERMINING A LOT OF OUR PARKS INVESTMENT IF WE DON'T HAVE A SAFE WAY TO GET TO THE PARKS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND SO BEFORE IT WAS RIPPED OUT, AUSTIN STREET WAS BASICALLY THE SPINE THROUGH THE CENTER OF THE CITY, AND IT MADE A GREAT ROUTE TO GET TO BOTH THE NORTH SIDE NEIGHBORHOODS AND ALLOW THE NORTH SIDE TO COME DOWN TO GET TO, UM, HERMAN PARK ON THE SOUTH ON ON, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY.
AND SO NOW THAT AUSTIN STREET IS GONE, WE, WE DON'T HAVE A SAFE ROUTE TO GO BETWEEN THOSE AREAS AND IT WOULD, I'M JUST, I'M ASKING THAT THE CITY RECONSIDER ITS DECISION TO RIP OUT THE BIKE LANE AND PUT IT BACK IN SO THAT WE HAVE OUR SAFE ROUTE THROUGH THE CITY AGAIN.
TO BE FOLLOWED BY CALLISTA HERBERT.
THIS IS A TIME IN OUR COUNTRY WHEN IT'S REALLY ABOUT OUR ETHICS AND ABOUT WHAT ONE WOMAN SAID, TRUST IN REBUILDING OUR CONNECTION IN, IN THE CITY TO PROTECT ONE ANOTHER.
AND SO, UH, WHAT I WANNA POINT OUT THOUGH IS WE DID DEALT WITH THIS ONCE BEFORE.
IT WAS IN 2017 WHEN WE HAD TO DEAL WITH SB FOUR AND THE CITY COUNCIL WAS SUPPORTIVE AND THE MAYOR WAS SUPPORTIVE AND THEY FOUND WAYS TO PREVENT A CHILD DETENTION CENTER FROM BEING HERE IN DOWNTOWN.
THEY, AS BEFORE THEY FOUGHT AGAINST IT, BUT IT WAS PASSED ANYWAYS, WE'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE AND THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO.
WE'VE SEEN PEOPLE HURT, WE'VE SEEN UNCONSCIONABLE, INHUMAN THINGS HAPPEN.
SO WHAT I WANNA POINT OUT, AND THIS IS NOT TO BE, THIS IS TO POINT OUT, THERE'S RISK ON ALL SIDES HERE.
THERE'S ONE, WE OUGHT TO BE GOOD HUMAN BEINGS FOR EACH OTHER AND WITH EACH OTHER.
TWO, THERE'S A LIABILITY FOR THE CITY.
AND I'M GONNA BE LOOKING FOR LAWYERS TO PRESS THAT CASE.
THERE'S LIABILITY FOR, UH, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED FOR ICE FOLLOWING.
THAT WAS TWO MINUTES ICE FOLLOWING THE RULE OF LAW, HP HPD FOLLOWING THE RULE OF LAW.
UM, YOU KNOW, ARRESTING PEOPLE IN MASKS, BUSTING DOWN DOORS, HURTING PEOPLE, THAT'S ILLEGAL, THAT'S UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
SEARCH AND SEIZURE, CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
FOUR, HUMAN RIGHTS AND CITIZEN RIGHTS.
AND NONE OF THOSE ARE BEING FOLLOWED IN OTHER CITIES.
MEANWHILE, WE HAVE A PIPELINE COMING FROM MINNEAPOLIS THROUGH HOUSTON THAT'S TRIPLED AFTER THE TWO DEATHS.
SO MY POINT IS THE CITY AND YOU NEED A LITTLE GROUP, UH, YOUR LAWYERS AND YOUR A LITTLE GROUP TO FORM AND PROTECT.
IF ANY CHILDREN DISAPPEAR, I'M GONNA BE BACK.
NEXT, HELLO, MY NAME IS CALISTA SCHNEIDER HERBERT.
I'M A, A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT C AND A MEMBER OF THE MIGRATION WITH DIGNITY COALITION.
I'M ALSO A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN AND I LOVE MY CITY AND THE GREAT DIVERSITY OF PEOPLE, CULTURES, IDEAS, BUSINESSES AND CUSTOMS, WHICH WE HAVE.
AND I WANT ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS TO BE SAFE, ALL OF THE RESIDENTS OF THIS GREAT CITY TO BE SAFE, INCLUDING THE UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS WHO ARE OUR FRIENDS, OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR WORKERS, AND OUR COLLEAGUES.
I AM IN AGREEMENT WITH THE GROUP THAT'S HERE TO ASK YOU TO END NON-SAFE TRAFFIC STOPS.
THESE ARE STOPS FOR NON TINTED WINDOWS OR FOR TINTED WINDOWS CRACKED WINDSHIELDS AND EXPIRED REGI REGISTRATIONS.
A MAJORITY OF CALLS TO ICE ARE INITIATED DURING THESE NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC CALL STOPS.
[01:05:01]
THERE HAVE BEEN MORE THAN 2,600 IMMIGRANT DRIVERS WHO HAVE BEEN DEPORTED FOR THESE NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS.I THINK WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT THE NEED TO DEPORT CRIMINALS OF SERIOUS CRIMES, NON-SAFETY, STA TRAFFIC STOPS OR NOT, NOT DAY.
NEXT, SARAH SAYED TO BE FOLLOWED BY SARAH REMAN.
I SERVE AS THE POLICY MANAGER FOR WOODY JUNTOS.
I'M HERE AT CITY COUNCIL TO URGE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO DEMAND FULL TRANSPARENCY REGARDING INTERACTIONS BETWEEN OUR LOCAL POLICE AND ICE.
AND I'M SAYING THIS IN LANGUAGE, HOUSTON IS HOME TO 145 LANGUAGES.
OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES A CLEAR, PUBLICLY AVAILABLE WORKFLOW EXPLAINING EXACTLY WHEN AND HOW ICE BECOMES INVOLVED AFTER AN ENCOUNTER, AFTER AN ENCOUNTER.
UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES ARE THEY NOTIFIED? WHO MAKES THAT DECISION? IS IT AUTOMATIC FOR CERTAIN ARRESTS OR DISCRETIONARY? WHAT HAPPENS IF SOMEONE IS HELD, TRANSFERRED, OR RELEASE? AND HOW IS EACH STEP DOCUMENTED? PEOPLE WHO DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND VERBALLY TELLING SOMEBODY A WORKFLOW IS NOT THE SAME AS RELEASING IT PUBLICLY AND HAVING IT AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE IN LANGUAGE.
TRANSPARENCY IS NOT ABOUT POLITICS.
IT'S ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRUST.
WITHOUT WRITTEN PROTOCOLS AND PUBLIC REPORTING, RESIDENTS ARE LEFT UNCERTAIN ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS AND FEARFUL OF UNSEEN PROCESSES.
IF WE WANT TRUST BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE PROCESS MUST BE CLEAR.
THANK YOU, SARAH RAYMOND, TO BE FOLLOWED BY FELIX KAPO.
YO, WHAT'S UP CITY COUNCIL? MY NAME IS SARAH.
WHEN I THINK ABOUT RE-IMAGINING SAFETY FOR EVERYONE, I DON'T THINK OF THE CARCERAL MASS SURVEILLANCE OR WILLIAN APPARATUS THAT CURRENTLY LOOMS OVER HOUSTON.
SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS TRAFFIC STOPS, ESPECIALLY NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS, IS A CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE.
EVERY TRAFFIC STOP IS THE PRODUCT OF SYSTEMS AND POLICIES THAT MAGNIFY RACIAL AND CLASS INEQUALITIES AND ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH ON HPD DATA SINCE 2023, HAS SHOWN A STEADY INCREASE ON USE OF FORCE AND RATES OF ARREST ON OUT OF NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS.
UM, ESPECIALLY WITH BLACK AND LATINO DRIVERS FACING THE BRUNT OF BRUTALITY AT THE HANDS OF, UM, HPD, WHICH IF YOU LOOK AT THEIR HANDS, IT'S, THERE'S A LOT OF BLOOD ON THERE.
UM, NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS ONLY SUPPORT A VIOLENT RACIST POLICE FORCE AND ICE AND NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS, YOU KNOW, AND THEM AND, AND ICE COLLABORATION WITH HPD.
UM, IT'S REALLY SIMPLE FROM WHAT EVERYONE ELSE HAS BEEN SAYING HERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, ONLY THEN WE CAN REIMAGINE SAFETY FOR EVERYONE.
THANK YOU FELIX KAPO TO BE FOLLOWED BY JESSER.
UH, I'M FELIX KAPOOR, LIFELONG RESIDENT OF HOUSTON AND CURRENT RESIDENT OF DISTRICT.
I, UM, I JUST WANNA SHARE ONE STORY.
UH, ABOUT THREE MONTHS AGO, THERE WERE ICE AGENTS IN A REALLY, REALLY SMALL APARTMENT COMPLEX CLOSE TO MY HOUSE.
I WAS CALLED BY A FRIEND TO GO AND HELP SUPPORT SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS OVER THERE.
THERE WAS PEOPLE WHO COULDN'T LEAVE THEIR HOUSE.
THERE WAS PEOPLE WHO HAD TO CALL SICK INTO WORK.
THERE WAS PEOPLE THAT I PERSONALLY HAD TO DRIVE OUT OF THE COMPLEX SO THEY COULD PICK UP THEIR KIDS.
THERE'S PEOPLE WE HAD TO WALK THEIR KIDS TO A BUS STOP SO THEY COULD GO TO SCHOOL.
IF THAT'S NOT ENOUGH TO GET THE CITY TO ACTUALLY JUST MAKE A PROCLAMATION, LET ALONE DO SOMETHING LIKE, DO SOMETHING RADICAL LIKE END TRAFFIC SAFETY STOPS, UM, THEN I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS MOST OF COUNCIL HERE IS FROM IMMIGRANT FAMILIES.
AND IF THAT'S NOT ENOUGH FOR Y'ALL TO STAND UP TO THIS GOVERNMENT AND WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE INVASION HAPPENING, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
HUH? EARL DETWEILER CLAIRE JOHNSON TO BE FOLLOWED BY ISAIAH LOPEZ.
I, I DO, I JUST SPEAK I GUESS.
UM, I AM A RESIDENT OF HOUSTON FOR 15 YEARS.
[01:10:01]
UM, I THINK LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE, I'M VERY DISTURBED.UM, BEING SEVEN MONTHS PREGNANT, BRINGING A CHILD INTO THIS CITY, SEEING WHAT'S HAPPENING, SEEING WHAT'S NOT HAPPENING, UM, IT'S VERY FRIGHTENING.
UM, I THINK THAT WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM CITY COUNCIL AROUND, UH, REQUIREMENT TO COLLABORATE WITH ICE IS HONESTLY, IT'S JUST LIES.
UM, THESE LAWS ARE VERY CONTROVERSIAL TO BEGIN WITH.
UM, THEY'RE NOT CLEAR
UM, I'VE HEARD SOME INTERVIEWS FROM SOME LAWYERS, SOME DIFFERENT IMMIGRANT ADVOCACY GROUPS THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE A LOT MORE INFORMED THAN I AM ON THIS TOPIC.
BUT IT IS CLEAR THAT WHAT IS COMING OUT OF CITY COUNCIL IS NOT, IS NOT CONCRETE, AND I URGE YOU TO DO MORE.
MICHELLE LEON, TO BE FOLLOWED BY ANDREA RAPIER.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR WHITBY AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBER.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR WHITMEYER AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M A MORE A MEMBER OF MEMORIAL PALMER, MEMORIAL EPISCOPAL CHURCH AND THE MIGRATION WITH DIGNITY COALITION.
AS YOU HAVE HEARD EARLIER, THERE HAVE BEEN OVER 2,600 IMMIGRANT DRIVERS HERE WHO HAVE BEEN DEPORTED DUE TO POLICE STOPS FOR INFRACTIONS AS SMALL AS A BROKEN LIGHT TAIL LIGHT.
I'M HERE THIS EVENING TO ASK YOU TO END THESE NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOP VIOLATIONS ALTOGETHER AS THESE STOPS DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECT BLACK, BROWN, AND LOW INCOME AND IMMIGRANT POPULATIONS.
THE RESULTS OF A NEW THOUSAND 25 ANNUAL HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT RACIAL PROFILING REPORT INDICATE THAT AS MANY AS 7,000 TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS IN 2025 84% WERE COMMITTED BY PEOPLE OF COLOR.
FOR SOMETHING AS SMALL AS THAT BROKEN TAILLIGHT, CRACKED WINDSHIELD, OR AN EXPIRED INSPECTION TICKET.
DATA SHOWS THESE STOPS RARELY MAKE ROADS SAFER, BUT INSTEAD LEAD TO RACIAL DISPARITIES AND LOSS OF TRUST IN POLICE.
I ASK THE CITY TO DO LIKEWISE.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M AN IMMIGRANT, A US ARMY VETERAN, A HOUSTON AS OF A YEAR AGO.
AND I AM A CHILD OF IMMIGRANTS DOCUMENTED ONES.
THE EMOTIONAL APPEALS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE HERE TODAY DOES NOT EXCUSE THE RULE OF LAW.
THE AGREEMENT 2 87 G PROTECTS OUR COMMUNITY FROM ICE INVASION.
IT IS NOT A VIOLATION OF OUR COMMUNITY.
IT IS ACTUALLY PROTECTION OF OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE THE TRAFFIC STOPS ACTUALLY INTERCEPTS THE MOVEMENT AND OF UNDOCUMENTED CRIMINALS BEFORE THEY HIDE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
THERE IS ALSO AN ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCE TO NOT UPHOLDING THIS ICE AGREEMENT WITH HPD AND ALSO BY REMOVING THE POLICING OF MINOR TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS.
JEREMY PEEL ICE PAYS 100% OF THE SALARIES OF DEPUTIZED HPD OFFICERS.
NEXT JEREMY PEELE TO BE FOLLOWED BY CONNOR SCHULTZ.
ALRIGHT, GOOD EVENING COUNSEL.
I'M AN ATTORNEY LIVING IN DISTRICT C AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON, UH, HPDS COLLABORATION WITH ICE.
THE FIFTH CIRCUIT HAS HELD SENATE BILL FOUR IS A IS CONSTITUTIONAL.
THEREFORE, I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO VIOLATE THE LAW, I'M ASKING YOU TO FOLLOW IT WITHOUT VIOLATING CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.
THE FOURTH AMENDMENT PROHIBITS PROLONGING DETENTION WITHOUT SUSPICION OF A CRIME.
AN ICE ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANT IS CIVIL, NOT CRIMINAL.
EXTENDING A STOP FOR THAT REASON IS UNLAWFUL DETENTION UNDER SUPREME COURT PRECEDENT.
[01:15:01]
LOOKING FOR ICE ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANTS OR EXTENDING STOPS TO WAIT FOR ICE.O OFFICERS SHOULD FOCUS ON PUBLIC SAFETY, NOT CIVIL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT DUE PROCESS APPLIES TO EVERYONE REGARDLESS OF IMMIGRATION STATUS.
TODAY, I URGE COUNSEL THIS COUNCIL TO PROTECT OUR NEIGHBORS, PROTECT DUE PROCESS, PROTECT THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF ALL PEOPLE IN THIS CITY, NOT JUST US CITIZENS WITH VOTING RIGHTS.
UNLESS THE CITY WANTS TO LEGALLY DEFEND THEIR UNCONSTITUTIONAL PRACTICES.
YOUR YOUR TIME IS, I URGE, URGE THIS COUNSEL TO ADOPT A POLICY THAT PROTECTS THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF IMMIGRANTS.
I'M GONNA ASK THAT WE ASK THE AUDIENCE TO PLEASE REFRAIN FROM CLAPPING SO WE CAN KEEP THE MOVING GOING FORWARD.
LET'S, WE WE'RE HAVING, WE'RE HAVING A GOOD SESSION.
PLEASE COOPERATE AND LET'S KEEP GOING FORWARD.
BUT THE RULES REALLY DO ASK YOU NOT TO APPLAUD 'CAUSE IT EATS UP SOME OF OUR PRODUCTIVE TIMES.
SO PLEASE FOLLOW THE RULES AND LET'S HAVE A GOOD SESSION.
CON SCHULTZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY CODY ZALE.
MY NAME IS CONNOR SCHULTZ AND I'M SPEAKING HERE ON BEHALF OF RICE UNIVERSITY'S INTERNATIONAL STUDENT BODY.
UM, INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS MAKE UP 13% OF OUR UNDERGRAD AND 39% OF OUR GRADUATE STUDENT BODY.
AND WE HAVE BEEN A TARGET OVER THE LAST YEAR FROM VISA TERMINATIONS AND PSEU INTIMIDATION BY IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
I ASK OF YOU TO END HPDS NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS AND CANCEL OUR CITY'S COLLABORATION WITH ICE.
YOU HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO PROTECT HOUSTONIANS AND YOU CHOOSE TO BE COMPLICIT IN THESE INHUMAN ATTACKS, WHEREAS OTHER CITIES ACROSS THE NATION ARE STANDING UP TO THESE VIOLATIONS OF OUR RIGHTS.
HOUSTON REFUSES TO GROW A SPINE.
STUDENTS HAVE A RIGHT TO AN EDUCATION WITHOUT FEAR OF DEPORTATION.
NEXT CODY ZELL TO BE FOLLOWED BY JASMINE AKBARI.
MY NAME IS CODY ZELL, UH, STUDENT AND HOUSTON DSA MEMBER.
UH, JOAQUIN MARTINEZ IS MY REPRESENTATIVE.
SIMPLY PUT, THIS COLLABORATION WITH ICE HAS TO END FOR OVER A YEAR.
NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS HAVE BEEN A FUNNEL FROM DAY-TO-DAY INTERACTIONS WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TO INDEFINITE ICE DETAINMENT.
HOUSTON RESIDENTS ARE HAVING THEIR RIGHTS VIOLATED DAILY, BEING STOPPED FOR A BUSTED TAILLIGHT.
DOES NOT GIVE HP A RIGHT TO ILLEGALLY HOLD HOUSTON RESIDENTS FOR HOURS AND FORCEFULLY HAND THEM OFF TO PREDATORY THE PREDATORY AGENCY THAT IS ICE COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE BEEN HERE MONTH AFTER MONTH DEMANDING JUSTICE FOR HOUSTON'S IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY.
FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THE DEMANDS OF THE HOUSTON LEAD LEADS COALITION AND TAKE A STAND.
ALSO, THE ABSOLUTE ANNOYING SETUP OF THESE MEETINGS AND EVEN THE EARLY ENDING OF THE LAST MEETING IS JUST ABSURD.
I DON'T KNOW WHY Y'ALL ARE SO ALLERGIC TO ACTUALLY LISTENING TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS, BUT IT HAS TO STOP.
I MEAN, LITERALLY, HOW ARE WE ACTUALLY SEEING HOUSTON RESIDENTS HAVE THEIR RIGHTS, RIGHTS VIOLATED DAILY AND LIKE NOBODY IS JUST WILLING TO TAKE A STAND ON IT.
JASMINE KAMA BOWERY TO BE FOLLOWED BY VI FAM.
WE ARE BEING WATCHED, WE ARE BEING WATCHED BY HPD.
WE'RE BEING WATCHED BY ICE AND WE'RE BEING WATCHED BY POLICE DEPARTMENTS THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY, ALL BECAUSE OF HOUSTON'S CONTRACT WITH FLOCK ON YOUR WAY HERE.
YOU PROBABLY PASSED HUNDREDS OF FLOCK CAMERAS ALL TRACKING YOUR LICENSE PLATES AND YOUR EVERY MOVE.
AND WE KNOW THAT HPD HAS THIS DATA, BUT WHO ELSE DOES? OTHER POLICE DEPARTMENTS HAVE ENABLED THEIR TRANSPARENCY PORTAL TO SHOW THE PUBLIC WHERE THEIR DATA IS BEING SHARED.
BUT HPD HAS NOT HPD CLAIMS THAT THEY DON'T SHARE DATA WITH ICE.
AND YET I FOUND THAT HPD IS SHARING OUR DATA WITH A POLICE DEPARTMENT IN ILLINOIS.
A SINGLE POLICE OFFICER IN GEORGIA USED ALVIN ISDS FLOCK CAMERAS TO HELP TARGET PARENTS FOR DEPORTATION.
SO WHAT IS PREVENTING OTHER POLICE DEPARTMENTS FROM USING HPDS DATA FOR THE SAME PURPOSE? NOTHING.
YOU HAVE ENABLED A COMPLETELY UNACCOUNTABLE MASS SURVEILLANCE MACHINE THAT CAN TARGET HOUSTONIANS FOR DEPORTATION FROM
[01:20:01]
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.SO PLEASE STOP THE SURVEILLANCE, STOP THE DEPORTATION PIPELINE AND BE LIKE AUSTIN AND SAN MARCOS AND END THE FLOCK CONTRACT.
THANK YOU VIA FAM TAMARA ALEXANDER TO BE FOLLOWED BY DANNY STEVENS.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I AM TAMARA ALEXANDER AND I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTH UNION CIVIC CLUB IN DISTRICT D MAYOR.
I STOOD BEFORE THIS COUNCIL NOT LONG AGO TO ADDRESS THE ONGOING CRISIS OF ILLEGAL DUMPING IN SOUTH UNION.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT REMAINS A BATTLE WE FACE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED IS THAT OUR COMMUNITY DOES NOT NEED MORE CONVERSATION.
WE NEED COORDINATED ACTION AND TRUE BOOT BOOTS ON THE GROUND IN SEARCH FOR SOLUTIONS.
WE REACHED OUT TO PJ JONES AND THE GLENWOOD FOREST CIVIC BOARD TO LEARN HOW THEY HAVE ACHIEVED SUCH MEASURABLE SUCCESS.
RECENTLY OUR BOARD DROVE THROUGH GLENWOOD FOREST AND WE MUST SAY IS, IS CLEAN.
AND THE PRIDE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD IS VISIBLE AND UNDENIABLE.
WHAT WE WITNESSED WAS THE RESULT OF STRONG COLLABORATION BETWEEN THEIR CIVIC CLUB, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND CONSTABLE ROSEN'S OFFICE.
THAT PARTNERSHIP IS WORKING AND PRODUCING REAL RESULTS.
MAYOR WHITMEYER SOUTH UNION IS READY.
WE ARE PREPARED TO IMPLEMENT THIS STRATEGY AND TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT TO PROTECT AND RESTORE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, I'M HERE TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT THE HPD POLICY CHANGE.
UM, I FIND IT, UH, AMAZING GROSS THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING CHANGING THIS POLICY AND PRIORITIZING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS OVER AMERICAN CITIZENS AND HOUSTONIANS.
UM, I WOULD LOVE FOR MY PARTNER TO COME HOME AT NIGHT.
I'M SURE YOU WOULD LOVE FOR YOUR PARTNER, YOUR CHILDREN TO COME HOME AT NIGHT.
UNFORTUNATELY, THIS FAMILY, THE SCIO FAMILY CANNOT HAVE THAT BECAUSE AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT DRUNK DRIVER RAN INTO THEIR CAR ON THANKSGIVING DAY.
HE, THE FATHER, A US MARINE LOST HIS LEG.
THEIR DAUGHTER ARIA IS DEAD AND THE MOM CANNOT WALK BECAUSE HER FOOT IS MANGLED.
AND THANK GOD THERE ARE TWO OTHER SON.
THERE ARE TWO OTHER CHILDREN, BOYS WERE ABLE TO SURVIVE WITHOUT INJURY.
WE SHOULD NOT PRIORITIZE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS OVER US CITIZENS.
PROTECT UPD POLICY HPD POLICY.
THANK YOU MAYOR SHEIKA MARTIN, WE CAN TO BE FOLLOWED BY DANA JONES.
I'M ACTUALLY HERE IN A GOOD MOOD TODAY.
I KNOW LAST TIME YOU SAW ME EVERYBODY WAS SITTING BACK IN THEIR SEATS.
SO I WANNA APOLOGIZE FOR I CAME LAST TIME 'CAUSE IT'S THE PASSION IN ME.
SO THIS TIME I AM ACTUALLY HERE TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR STARTING THE PROGRAM IN ANOTHER DISTRICT THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO MIMIC IN SOUTH UNION.
UM, MAYOR, YOU SENT THE WIND MOBILE.
SO WE NEED THE WHIP MOBILE IN SOUTH UNION.
WE APPRECIATE YOU FOR TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY.
UM, AND WE JUST WANT TO KNOW THAT WE WANT TO DO BOOTS ON THE GROUND.
WE'VE SEEN HOW THE CONSTABLE OFFICE IS WORKING AND WE ARE ALL DOING A COORDINATED EFFORT IN ORDER TO COMBAT THE ILLEGAL ING.
SO WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE THIS SO THAT WAY WE CAN ACTUALLY GET A CURE FOR IT AND NOT JUST, UH, BANDAGE IT UP.
NO MORE COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS.
WHO IS THAT LADY? I WASN'T LEAVING OUT, BUT ANDREW BEAVER.
AGAIN, MY NAME IS ANDREW BEAVER.
I'M THE FOUNDER OF CLEAN THE BLOCK AND SOUTH PARK AND SUNNYSIDE.
UM, I JUST WANNA START BY SAYING
[01:25:01]
CLEAN THE BLOCK IS A ORGANIZATION THAT IS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT THAT'S BUILT AROUND CLEAN UP ILLEGAL DUMPING AND BRINGING PRIDE BACK IN THE SUNNYSIDE.THAT PRIDE FOR OUR ORGANIZATION REALLY TALKS ABOUT THE COMMUNITY STEPPING UP AND TAKING OWNERSHIP OF OUR CHALLENGES.
MY BIG THING IS WORKING WITH CITY OFFICIALS OR THE GOVERNMENT TO GO.
IF WE'RE GONNA DO 90%, WE WOULD JUST WANT COLLABORATION WITH YOU ALL TO GET OVER THAT LAST HUMP THAT WE CAN'T DO.
THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT I WANT YOUR ASSISTANCE WITH LONG TERM AND SHORT TERM TO KIND OF ACHIEVE OUR GOALS.
FIRST BEING A POLICY CHANGE THAT'S MORE LONG TERM.
UM, I AM A REAL ESTATE INVESTOR AND A DEVELOPER IN SUNNYSIDE AND I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S NECESSARY.
WE NEED MORE SAFEGUARDS FROM THE DEVELOPERS AROUND THESE LOTS TO STOP THE, SO TO MAKE IT HARDER FOR INDIVIDUALS TO DUMP.
THAT MEANS HAVING FENCES THINK LIKE THAT ABOUT THE TIME.
YOU'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF GOOD PUBLICITY AND COLLABORATION, SO THANK YOU.
YOU'RE CERTAINLY A ROLE MODEL AND UH, THE CITY DOES WANNA WORK WITH YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT.
MAYOR PRO, THE MAYOR PRO TIM ANDREW, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
UH, WE'VE BEEN FOLLOWING YOU ON INSTAGRAM.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, WHEN I FIRST SAW YOUR, UM, INSTAGRAM PAGE, I SENT IT TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ AND SAID WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE HELPING HIM, UH, BECAUSE HE'S BRINGING FOLKS OUT TO CLEAN UP, UH, IN THE SUNNYSIDE AREA.
LET'S GET WITH SOLID WASTE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, GET THESE BAGS PICKED UP BECAUSE WHAT HE'S DOING IS REMARKABLE.
AND IF WE COULD GET MORE PEOPLE, UM, TO ACTUALLY TAKE THAT KIND OF PRIDE IN THEIR COMMUNITY, IT WOULD BE REALLY, REALLY HELPFUL FOR US.
IT WOULD BE HELP POLICE, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US IN THE, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON BECAUSE WE STRUGGLE ALSO BECAUSE THOSE VACANT LOTS BELONG TO PEOPLE.
UM, AND WHEN THEY ALLOW PEOPLE TO DUMP ON THOSE VACANT LOTS, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO PICK, PICK THAT STUFF UP BECAUSE IT IS PRIVATE PROPERTY THAT SHOULD BE MAINTAINED BY THE OWNERS OF THOSE LOTS.
UM, BUT THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING IS REMARKABLE.
UM, AND WE WANNA DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO HELP YOU BECAUSE YOU'VE TAKEN THE INITIATIVE, UM, DESPITE THE FACT THAT SO MANY ABSENTEE LANDLORDS OR ABSENTEE OWNERS ARE NOT DOING IT IN THOSE COMMUNITIES.
SO WE'VE SHARED IT WITH FOLKS IN, IN OUR DISTRICT IN HOPES THAT WE CAN ALSO GARNER THAT KIND OF SUPPORT FROM THESE THESE OWNERS THAT AREN'T TAKING CARE OF THEIR PROPERTIES AS WELL.
AND WE SAY IT ALL THE TIME, GOVERNMENT CAN'T DO THIS WORK ALONE REGARDLESS OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT PEOPLE EXPECT.
AND WE NEED PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO HELP OUT SO WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES BETTER.
SO BIG KUDOS TO YOU AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO VOLUNTEER TO HELP OUT.
UM, WE ARE, WE ARE PULLING TOGETHER SOME, UM, RESOURCES TO TRY TO HELP, UM, PEOPLE THAT WANT TO CLEAN UP THEIR COMMUNITIES AS WELL.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
IF THERE'S SOMETHING SPECIFIC THAT YOU ARE ASKING FOR THAT WE CAN HELP YOU WITH, WE, WE ARE DEFINITELY WILLING TO WORK WITH YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT.
AND I, I'LL DEFINITELY HAVE A, A MEETING SEPARATE THIS.
NOT TO TAKE EVERYONE'S TIME, SO I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.
BUT IT'S REALLY JUST BEING ABLE TO COLLECT THE TRASH AND HAVE SOMETHING TO DELIVER THE TRASH TRUCK IS THE MAIN THING.
BUT I DO ENCOURAGE THE COMMUNITY TO STEP UP.
'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE A LOT OF CHALLENGES AND THEN THE GOVERNMENT OBVIOUSLY CAN'T DO EVERYTHING.
BUT I AM WILLING TO LEAD THE GROUP TO JUST TAKE THAT FIRST STEP AND WE ALL JUST DO OUR PART.
I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING YOU ON, UH, FACEBOOK.
IN FACT, UH, I WAS TALKING WITH, UH, MY CHIEF OF STAFF TODAY ABOUT YOU REALLY IMPRESSED WITH WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
UM, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.
I, I'LL, I'LL FOLLOW IT AS WELL.
UH, BUT YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO DO IT.
UM, I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU DO FOR A LIVING.
I THINK YOU SAID YOU ARE AN INVESTOR YOURSELF AND MY NINE TO FIVE IS A PRODUCT MANAGER.
SO WE DO NEED PEOPLE TO, TO TAKE PRIDE IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND DO WHAT THEY CAN TO KEEP IT CLEAN.
UH, BUT THE, THE LEVEL THAT YOU'RE HAVING TO TAKE TO KEEP YOUR COMMUNITY CLEAN, I THINK IS ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT YOU SHOULD HAVE TO DO.
UH, SO I DO COMMEND YOU FOR IT, BUT IT DOES SHOW WHERE WE'RE LACKING AS A CITY AND WHERE THE CITY HAS TO DO A BETTER JOB ON HAVING HARSHER PENALTIES FOR THESE ABSENTEE PROPERTY OWNERS WHO AREN'T MAINTAINING THEIR LOTS, WHO AREN'T FENCING THEIR LOTS WITHOUT ENOUGH PATROL IN THE AREA TO ENFORCE, UH, UM, THOSE UNMAINTAINED LOTS IN THE OVERALL PUBLIC SAFETY OF THE AREA.
UM, TO HAVE A THRIVING CITY, TO BE THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY IN THE WORLD, I MEAN, IN THE COUNTRY
[01:30:01]
THAT IS A GLOBAL CITY, WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO RELY ON OUR CITIZENS TO TAKE THAT LEVEL OF DILIGENCE AND EFFORT JUST TO KEEP THE COMMUNITY CLEAN.AND SO, ALTHOUGH I COMMEND YOU AND I WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH YOU ON WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN SUPPORT YOU, UM, THE REAL QUESTION IS WHAT YOU SHOULD BE ASKING US TO DO ON YOUR COMMUNITY'S BEHALF TO KEEP IT CLEAN WITHOUT YOU HAVING TO TAKE THE TIME TO DO IT YOURSELF.
THANK YOU MR. BREER FOR COMING.
AND, UM, MANY OF US HAVE FOLLOWED, WATCH WHAT YOU DO AND SUCH AN ADVOCATE FOR CLEANING UP.
AND I DO WANT TO COMMEND YOU, UM, IN WHICH A LOT OF THAT YOU DO ON PRIVATE PROPERTIES, WHICH IS ANOTHER LEVEL BY WHICH, AND YOU DO KNOW THE CITY.
WE, WE, WE, WE HAVE OTHER WAYS, BUT NOT ABSOLUTE OTHER THAN THE USE OF POLICIES ABOUT REMOVING STUFF FROM PRIVATE PROPERTIES.
UM, I HAVE A MEETING COMING UP WITH MS. MARTIN AND WITH UM, MS. TOMORROW, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY TOLD YOU, BUT THEY REACHED OUT TO OUR OFFICE AND WE'VE COLLABORATED TO SET UP A MEETING TO MEET WITH YOU GUYS.
AND, UH, AND OF COURSE WHAT EFFORT YOU'RE DOING IS ONE OF A GREAT EFFORT, BUT ALSO UNDERSTANDING, WE RECENTLY JUST VOTED ON THE FACT OF HAVING BUILDINGS THAT WERE BOARDED UP, DILAPIDATED, THAT NEED TO BE TORN DOWN.
THAT CREATES SOME OF THIS VERY TRASHY STUFF THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE, AS A COUNCIL, WE ARE DOING SOMETHING.
UH, IT MAY NOT BE 100%, BUT THE MAYOR AND ALL, WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE THIS EFFORT.
HOUSTON'S THE LORD CITY AS YOU KNOW.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORT AND, UH, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN WORK TOGETHER AND TO CHANGE THAT MINDSET OF PEOPLE GOING IN DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES DUMPING, BUT THE EFFORT OF MOVING OR TRYING TO REMOVE THIS DILAPIDATED BUILDINGS TRASH BEING DUMPED ON THEM, BLOCKING THE, UH, DRAINAGE.
UH, SO SOME EFFORTS HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY DONE AND HOPEFULLY WE COULD PARTNER TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU.
SO THE EFFORT THAT YOU'RE DOING AND YOUR, UH, SUPPORTERS ARE DOING, UM, IT'S SAD THAT YOU'RE HAVING TO DO IT.
AND IN JAY CITY, WHICH I CALL MY DISTRICT, WE HAVE WHAT'S CALLED A BEAUTIFICATION TEAM.
CREWS OF, OF, OF PRIVATELY CONTRACTED INDIVIDUALS THAT GO OUT THERE AND PICK UP THE ILLEGAL DUMPING, DO THE GRAFFITI ABATEMENT, UM, UH, CLEAN THE OPEN DITCHES, MOW THE ESPLANADES, AND WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT WITH PRIVATE CREWS TO SUPPLEMENT THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT OR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT OR THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
AND I BELIEVE THAT IS A MODEL FOR WHAT WE CAN DO CITYWIDE.
AND SO IF WE HAVE THESE STREAMLINED PRIVATE CREWS TO SUPPLEMENT THE DEPARTMENTS FOR WHAT THEY CAN'T DO IN A TIMELY MANNER, UH, THEN WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET MUCH MORE DONE.
AND SO, UH, WHAT YOU'RE DOING SHOWS WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN YOU HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT CAN GET OUT THERE ON A DAILY BASIS AND DO IT.
IT JUST SHOULDN'T BE ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE RESIDENTS AND THE TAXPAYERS.
YOUR TAX PAYING DOLLARS SHOULD GO TOWARDS, UH, INDIVIDUALS TO WORK ON YOUR BEHALF TO DO IT.
AND I LIKE TO WORK WITH YOU ON FINDING SOLUTIONS TO DO THAT.
AND HOPEFULLY US AS A COUNCIL CAN LOOK AT WAYS IN WHICH TO DO IT AS WELL.
AND TO THAT POINT, I KNOW, UH, OUR ORGANIZATION HAS TAKEN THAT ON FROM A NONPROFIT STANDPOINT, BUT WE HAVE SUGGESTED IT TO DISTRICT D AND TO OTHERS OF A LONG-TERM GOAL OF ESTABLISHING THOSE TRUCKS SO THAT WE CAN WORK ON IT.
UM, WE JUST WANT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE A PLAN, WE HAVE ACTION PLANS TO PUT IN PLACE AND JUST THE GOVERNMENT AND CITY OFFICIALS TO HELP US MAKE IT HAPPEN.
NEXT NOR NORMA JOE THOMAS, NORMA, JOE THOMAS, DIANE SHEPHERD.
CURTIS CURLEY TO BE FOLLOWED BY HELENE WARDLOW.
UH, COMING UP HERE FOR MAKE US HOME.
I DON'T USUALLY COME UP HERE, WE USUALLY JUST KIND OF HANG OUT AT HOME, BE WITH OUR FAMILIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT WHAT BRINGS ME HERE IS, UH, WHEN SOME MANY YEARS AGO, 20 17, 20 16 OR SO, UH, ALL DEAN WAS LETTING US KNOW THAT THE BETHUNE ACADEMY WAS GONNA BE CLOSING.
AND IN EGGERS HOME WE GOT ALL THESE WONDERFUL BLACK SCHOOLS.
THERE'S CHARLES, RICHARD DREW, AND GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER.
SO WE, WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS CLOSING, WE DEFINITELY MADE
[01:35:01]
AN APPEAL DURING THE COMPLETE COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE TO CHANGE IT TO THE BETHUNE EMPOWERMENT CENTER.SO WE WENT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND ALDEN.
AND, UH, WE ARE STILL ARE NOT ABLE TO GET INTO THAT BUILDING TODAY.
SO WHAT WE'RE COMING DOWN HERE TO DO IS JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT AKERS HOME IS ORGANIZING ITSELF AND IS READY TO GET BACK INTO PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WITH, UH, ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION THAT WAS A PART OF THAT COMPLETE COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE AND TRY TO GET THIS BUILDING ONLINE FOR THIS VALUABLE ASSET THAT HAS CHANGED TO THE BETHUNE EMPOWERMENT CENTER AND MY DAY JOB AS A PROJECT MANAGER.
AND I'LL SAY THAT THIS PROJECT IS YOUR, YOUR TIME IS WAY BEHIND.
HELENE WARDLOW TO BE FOLLOWED BY ANDREW PATTERSON.
MY NAME IS HELENE WARDLOW AND I'M A NATIVE HOUSTON HOUSTONIAN.
AND I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCILMAN FOR HAVING US HERE THIS EVENING.
AS HE WAS SAYING FOLLOWING, UM, I WAS AT THE RIBBON CUTTING AND EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID THAT WAS GONNA BE DONE FOR BETHUNE.
AND THEN I LIVE RIGHT A HUNDRED FEET ACROSS THE STREET FROM IT.
AND I USED TO GO OVER THERE ON A SATURDAY AND VOLUNTEER TOO FOR THE FARMER'S MARKET THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE HAVING AS WELL.
BUT A SECURITY OFFICER IS THERE AT ALL TIMES.
ALL WE ARE ASKING AS A COMMUNITY IS TO COMPLETE THIS PROJECT, AS WAS PROMISED FROM FORMER MAYOR TURNER AND, UH, CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA LEE JACKSON.
AND I KNOW IF MS. BE SHEPHERD WAS ALIVE, SHE WOULD STAND HERE AND SAY, GET IT DONE.
AND SHE WOULD'VE PROBABLY PICKED A DIFFERENT CONTRACTOR TOO.
AND WE CAN THANK, YOU'RE ON TOP OF IT.
AND ANDREW PATTERSON, LATOYA JONES TO BE FOLLOWED BY MERCY LAWSON.
AND THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
THANK GOD FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
UNITED WILL STAND AND DIVIDED.
WE WILL FALL IN THE WAITING AREA.
I WAS READING ON THE WALL WHERE IT SAYS, HOUSTON OFFERS OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL.
THAT STATEMENT IS NOT ALL THE WAY TRUE.
IF YOU HAVE ON A WALL, THEN STAND BY IT.
IT SAYS THE STARS AT NIGHT OR BIG AND BRIGHT, DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS.
A FEW TOPICS I'M SPEAK ON IS FREE HEALTHCARE FOR CITY OF HOUSTON IN NEW YORK CITY.
THEY OFFER FREE HEALTHCARE FOR ALL THEIR CITIZENS.
JUST LAST YEAR, THE GOVERNMENT TOOK SIX OVER $16,000 ON MY PAYCHECK FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID.
AND AS A DIABETIC, I CAN SURE USE THAT 1600 THOUSAND DOLLARS.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW I NEED MY INSULIN.
TWO MORE FUNDING FOR HOUSING, FOR NEIGHBORHOODS, AND FOR THE MI FOR EVERY MINORITY.
'CAUSE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, MORE HISPANIC PEOPLE HAVE HOUSES THAN BLACKS, CHINESE AND OTHER MINORITIES.
I APPRECIATE Y'ALL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY, BUT I'M SERIOUS THAT 1600 THOUSAND DOLLARS I NEED INSULIN RIGHT NOW.
AND I CAN'T EVEN GET IT BECAUSE MY CALL GO CARD WAS EXPIRED.
AND EACH TIME I, I NEED MORE INFORMATION.
THAT $1,600 IS MY MONEY THAT I WORKED FOR LAST YEAR.
I WORKING, I WAS 10 YEARS OLD.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT BEFORE THEY, WELL, Y'ALL GET Y'ALL CHECKS.
THE STATE TAKES THE MONEY AND NEW YORK IS FREE HEALTHCARE.
MERCY LAWSON, JOSEPH BALLARD, PRECIOUS JONES TO BE FOLLOWED BY NIA COLBERT.
GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M THE FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BREAKING GENERATIONAL POVERTY, A VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION BASED IN ST.
TODAY CARRIES DEEP PERSONAL MEANING FOR ME.
I LOST MY BROTHER PAUL TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE
[01:40:01]
FIVE YEARS AGO AND ON HIS, ON HIS VERY DAY, WHICH WILL BE HIS 45TH BIRTHDAY.HIS LOSS ALONE WITH LOSS OF SEVERAL OTHER LOVED ONES TO VIOLENCE, INCLUDING MY 20-YEAR-OLD SON PRESTON TINK JONES IN 2022, FUELS MY COMMITMENT TO THIS WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY.
IN ADDITION TO LEADING BGP, I SERVE AS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE.
I ALSO SIT ON A SAVE LIVES NOW COUNCIL OF MISSOURI, A STATEWIDE PUBLIC SAFETY COUNCIL.
AFTER EXPERIENCING IMAGINABLE UNIMAGINABLE LOSS, I MADE THE DECISION TO TURN MY FAMILY'S TRAGEDY INTO ACTION.
THROUGH BGP, WE FOCUS ON ADDRESSING THE ROOT CAUSES OF NEIGHBORHOOD GUN VIOLENCE AND POVERTY THROUGH YOUTH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
SO BASICALLY I AM WANTING TO CONNECT, UM, IN HOUSTON 'CAUSE WE'RE HERE NOW.
SO WE WANT TO CONNECT AND BE ABLE TO WORK WITH YOU ALL ON THESE ISSUES TOO.
PROCEDURAL COUNCILOR MC CASTILLO.
I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE MONICA HATCHER TO THE B TO BE THE NEXT SPEAKER.
THOSE PROPOSED NAME MOTION PASSES.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS MONICA HATCHER.
I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE MIGRATION WITH DIGNITY COALITION AND A RESIDENT OF SPRING BRANCH IN DISTRICT A.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THE DEEP CONCERNS BEING RAISED TONIGHT ABOUT THE SITUATION FACING IMMIGRANTS IN OUR CITY.
I'M ALSO HERE TO URGE YOU IN THE NAME OF THE VALUES THAT WE HOLD AS AMERICANS, TO USE YOUR POSITIONS AS ELECTED LEADERS TO TAKE A STAND AGAINST THE ABUSIVE AND UN-AMERICAN ACTIONS OF ICE.
HOUSTON'S GREATEST UH, ASSET IS ROOTED IN ITS INTERNATIONAL IDENTITY WITH ITS UNIQUELY TEXAN SPIRIT.
AND WE SEE EVERY DAY HOW THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE WORLD BUILT UP OUR STRONG AND BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE TO FIGHT AND DEFEND THIS BY LETTING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT KNOW THAT WE WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN ICE'S REIGN OF TERROR AND REPRESSION.
THAT WE STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH OUR NEIGHBORS AS WE SEEK FAIR AND MORAL IMMIGRATION REFORM.
JAMES SHRIVER I TO BE FOLLOWED BY KENDRICK JOHNSON.
GONNA COME HAVE TO WAKE CJ UP.
UH, I COME TONIGHT TO SPEAK ABOUT A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT AT SAM HOUSTON HIGH SCHOOL.
IT'S, UH, MTC, UH, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.
FORGET THE WHOLE THING, BUT THIS IS A MAGNET SCHOOL.
UH, MAROW WAS ABDUCTED FROM IMMIGRATION COURT, A SAFE SPACE BY ICE AGENTS, AND HE IS NOW DETAINED AT THE IMMIGRATION CENTER IN CONROE FOR MORE THAN 60 DAYS.
I WANT TO, UH, PROPOSE CAN'T DO MUCH IN ONE MINUTE TO GET YOUR ATTENTION, BUT I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT WE, THE PEOPLE ARE NOT BEING HEARD BY COUNCIL.
WE HAVE ASKED FOR YOUR, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED IN THE GALLERY.
STAND UP IF YOU ARE HERE TO SUPPORT IMMIGRANTS.
UH, COUNCILMAN POLLARD, SAY WE THE PEOPLE.
[01:45:06]
EDUARDO DURAN TO BE FOLLOWED BY RAIN EATON.ALL RIGHT, SO JUST PRESS PLAY.
THEY WANT IT TO BE CRYSTAL CLEAR WITH THIS YEAR'S OLYMPICS, IN CASE ANYONE WANTED TO GIVE THEM THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT.
THEY SHOW THIS NOW, THIS YEAR'S OLYMPICS, FOLKS, CHECK THIS OPENING IN 2026 OLYMPICS RIGHT HERE.
THE CEREMONY LOOKING LIKE A SCENE STRAIGHT OUTTA HELL.
IT'S GIVING THAT FAMOUS PAINTING OF THE DEVIL SUMMONING HIS LEGIONS.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT? YOU KNOW, THE ONE JACOB ROTHSCHILD AND MARINA ABRAMOVIC POSE IN FRONT OF OLYMPIC CEREMONIES LOOKING SO SATANIC.
I THOUGHT LADY GAGA WOULD POP UP AND START PERFORMING.
BLOOD RED FIRE ALL AROUND, AND A RED GLOWING ORB IN THE MIDDLE, LIKE SOME RITUAL CENTERPIECE.
AND ON THE ORB, THE PATTERN IS CLEAR, AN UPSIDE DOWN PENTAGRAM.
SO THEY TOOK THE MOST OBVIOUS SATANIC SYMBOL.
UM, ALSO, TRUMP, UH, JUST PASSED A GLYCO, GLYCO, GLYCO PHOSPHATE GLYCO, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED GLYCO FATE, UH, BILL TO PROTECT ROUNDUP.
AND, UH, PRETTY MUCH THE LAST THING I WAS GONNA SAY VERY QUICKLY WAS, UM, UM, I'M SORRY, SIR.
OKAY, WELL, I'LL JUST SAY IT THEN.
UM, PRETTY MUCH CHAOS AGENT ORGANIZATION MEMBERS HAVE BEEN IMPORTED INTO EVERY COUNTRY AT THIS POINT UNDER DIRECTION OF THE, THE UN SINCE WE KEEP FINDING THEY'VE BEEN PREVIOUSLY FUNDED BY THEM.
SO THEY'RE WAITING ON STANDBY TO PRETTY MUCH START WHATEVER CHAOS.
BECAUSE THEY'RE CHAOS AGENT ORGANIZATIONS.
RAIN EMAN TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALICIA SEBASTIAN.
I WANNA THANK, UH, MAYOR WHITMEYER FOR, UH, HAVING YOUR TEAM REACH OUT TO THE A ACRES HOMES COMMUNITY OVER THE PAST WEEK REGARDING OUR CONCERNS AROUND THE BETHUNE EMPOWERMENT CENTER.
UH, WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO MEET WITH YOU NEXT WEEK TO DISCUSS, UH, SOLUTION MOVING FORWARD FOR ACTUALLY GETTING THE CENTER OPEN.
WE'RE VERY CONCERNED WITH THE CURRENT DEVELOPER AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE ACTUALLY HOLDING TRUTH TO WHAT THE COMMUNITY PROVIDED WITH THE ACRES HOMES COMPLETE, UH, COMMUNITIES PLAN.
AND THE REASON WHY WE WERE GATHERING INITIALLY WAS BECAUSE THERE WERE A LOT OF INFORMATION WE WEREN'T ABLE TO GET IN THE BEGINNING THAT WE ARE FINDING ON THE BACK END.
AND THERE'S JUST BEEN INCONSISTENT INFORMATION SHARING AS WELL AS A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY.
FURTHERMORE, THERE WERE SPACES THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO BE GUARANTEED FOR COMMUNITY THAT WE FOUND OUT THEY ARE ACTUALLY GOING UP FOR LEASE ON LOOPNET WITHOUT THE, UH, KNOWLEDGE OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU WANTING TO AT LEAST FIND A SOLUTION FOR THIS.
AND WE'RE REALLY EAGER TO FIND A WAY TO MOVE FORWARD TO MAKE SURE IT FOLLOWS THE, UH, LETTER OF WHAT WE SAID IN BETHUNE.
YOU KNOW, MR. WILSON, MY CHIEF OF STAFF LIVES ABOUT TWO BLOCKS FROM THE SITE, SO WE, WE MONITORED YOU VERY CAREFULLY.
THE CHALLENGE HAS BEEN THE CONTRACTOR IS DRAGGING HIS FEET AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO COMMUNICATE, BUT WE'RE AWARE OF IT AND DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN.
AND THANK YOU RAIN FOR COMING.
AND I APPRECIATE YOUR WORDS, MAYOR.
I MEAN, I WAS THERE WHEN THIS OPENED.
I REMEMBER THE FINANCIAL LITERACY WORK THAT WAS GOING ON THERE WITH A BANK.
YEAH, IT WAS, UH, UH, GONNA BE A BRIGHT SPOT IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND I HOPE WE CAN GET THIS RESOLVED.
AND IF I COULD JUST SHARE THE, THE, THE HEAVINESS OF THIS, THE VISION OF THE BETHUNE EMPOWERMENT CENTER STARTED BACK IN 2018, SO WE'RE ALMOST APPROACHING 10 YEARS WITH NO CLEAR VISION OF LIKE WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS ACTUALLY GONNA BE COMPLETED.
SO REALLY, MAYOR WHITMEYER, WE'RE REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF YOU GETTING ON TOP OF THIS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING WITH YOU NEXT WEDNESDAY.
ALICIA SEBASTIAN TO BE FOLLOWED BY JUSTIN BOYD.
HELLO, MY NAME IS ALICIA SEBASTIAN.
AND AS A LONGSTANDING STANDING MEMBER OF THE AKER HOME COMMUNITY, I AM FOCUSED ON ADVANCING AN EQUITABLE FUTURE FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THROUGH MEANINGFUL PARTNERSHIPS, WHICH RELIES ON VESTED INTEREST FROM BUSINESS STAKEHOLDERS, IT IS LONG OVERDUE FOR ACRES HOME TO SECURE A RENEWED SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC PLATFORM USING THE BETHUNE EMPOWERMENT CENTER FOR SUCH ACTIVITIES.
OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS AN ECONOMIC PLATFORM TO PROMOTE SMALL BUSINESSES FAMILY STABILITY, AND ADDRESSES FOOD INSECURITIES THAT ARE ALSO COST PROHIBITIVE.
WE ENVISION A VIBRANT, HEALTHY, AND PRO PROSPEROUS
[01:50:01]
COMMUNITY WHERE RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS ALIKE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRULY FLOURISH, NOT MERELY GET BY.WE WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE MAYOR AND HIS COMMITTED EFFORTS TO SEEING THIS THROUGH.
THANK YOU JUSTIN BOYD, TO BE FOLLOWED BY JORDAN CLARK.
I GREW UP IN AKERS HOME AND NOW I LIVE IN WILLOWBROOK.
THAT'S ABOUT 15 MINUTES AWAY, DOWN 2 49.
AND, UM, MY ROOTS ARE THERE AND MY FAMILY, THEY STILL CALL AKERS, UH, AKERS HOME, HOME.
UM, SO I AM HERE TO STAND IN SUPPORT OF WHEN AKERS HOME RAIN.
AND THE GROUP THAT WE HAVE HERE TODAY.
UH, THE BETHUNE EMPOWERMENT CENTER REPRESENT YEARS OF VISION FOR THE RESIDENTS WHO BELIEVE IN THE SPACE.
IT'LL BRING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES, YOUTHS, FAMILIES WHO DESERVE RESOURCES RIGHT THERE IN THAT COMMUNITY.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR FOR AGREEING TO MEET WITH THE COMMUNITY.
I TRULY HOPE THAT COMMITMENT TURNS INTO REAL ACTION BECAUSE TOO OFTEN OUR COMMUNITIES HEAR PROMISES, BUT OFTEN SEE REAL RESULTS THAT FOLLOW THROUGH.
WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS IN CONFLICT, IS CLARITY, TRANSPARENCY, AND PROGRESS.
UM, SO NOW WHERE I LIVE TODAY, UM, NOW WHERE I LIVE TODAY IS NOT A'S HOME.
IT'S WILLOWBROOK, BUT I'M HERE IN SEWER SUPPORT OF THEM TODAY.
WE'VE ACTUALLY DONE PRETTY GOOD.
REBECCA BRUNE, SHE'S SET THE RULE SEVEN O'CLOCK TO BE FOLLOWED BY MATTHEW BANZA.
MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, I'M HAPPY TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU.
LAST WEEK WE TALKED ABOUT THE RAPE DRESSES.
THREE DROPS, THREE BLOCKS FROM MY HOUSE.
UM, THERE IS ANOTHER MATTER OF POLICE INFORMATION THAT I WANT TO PROVIDE TO YOU BECAUSE I WASN'T ABLE TO FIND ANYBODY TO TAKE ANY ACTION.
AND THAT IS THAT AS I WALKED UP, THERE WAS A CREW, A MAINTENANCE CREW WORKING AT THAT LOCATION ON UNDERGROUND, UM, UTILITIES, I BELIEVE.
AND I HAD TO PRY THE DRESS OFF THE VENTILATION PIPE FROM THAT UNDERGROUND UTILITY.
AND AS I WAS DOING THAT, THERE WAS A MAN STANDING ABOUT 15 FEET FURTHER FROM WHERE I WAS STANDING, WHO LOOKED AT ME, WATCHED ME VERY CONSISTENTLY, VERY TALL, AND THEN WATCHED ME VERY CONSISTENTLY WITH THIS PERIPHERAL VISION.
AS I WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS OF REMOVING THE DRESS, I WAS AFRAID FOR MY SAFETY.
AND I STILL AM BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN PRESS ABOUT MY, UM, TESTIMONY HERE.
SECONDLY, UM, THE, UH, THE POOR HOUSTON POLICE GOT A HARD WRAP LAST TIME, UM, BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY NUMBERS THAT DIDN'T ANSWER YOUR, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
THE REASON DIDN'T IS THEY WEREN'T, THEY WERE NOT EDUCATED TO THE PROBLEM THAT WAS BEFORE ME.
AND CONSEQUENTLY, THEY WERE, UM, UNABLE TO RESPOND.
UM, THAT'S BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN MADE, IT'S BEEN MADE CLEAR TO THEM THAT IN BLUE CITIES, MY, UH, ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARE DESIRED.
MA'AM, YOUR TIME, YOUR TIME IS UP.
I'M A I'M A REPUBLICAN, YOU'RE A DEMOCRAT.
WHY DID I VOTE FOR YOU? BECAUSE YOU HAVE A LONG, RICH HISTORY IN SUPPORTING LAW ENFORCEMENT.
PLEASE, PLEASE CONTINUE TO DO THAT FOR US.
NEXT, MATTHEW BANZA TO BE FOLLOWED BY MAYA FLETCHER.
MATT BANDER, DISTRICT C UH, FOR STARTERS, SINCE THERE WAS A LOT OF STUFF WITH SECURITY OUTSIDE, I WOULD LIKE FOR Y'ALL, IF YOU COULD, TO REPEAT ALL OF THE NAMES OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT, UH, AT THE BEGINNING, BECAUSE I FELT LIKE THAT WAS A LITTLE RIDICULOUS.
UH, LAST WEEK, THE NEW YORK TIMES RAN A FOCUS GROUP OF DEMOCRATIC VOTERS AND SURVEYED THEIR THOUGHTS ON PARTY LEADERSHIP RESPONSES INCLUDED SPINELESS, OBLIVIOUS SUCKERS AND SELLOUTS.
I FEEL THIS IS ALSO REFLECTIVE OF MANY HOUSTONIANS WHO ARE DISAPPOINTED BY THE CITY'S RESPONSE TO ICE ENCROACHING ON THEIR RIGHTS.
HOWEVER, YOU HAVE A LOT OF REPUBLICAN SUPPORT, SO YOU KNOW, WHO CARES, RIGHT? FOR MR. WHIT MEYER'S REFUSAL TO ENGAGE WITH THE PUBLIC'S FEAR OF HPD COLLABORATING WITH ICE GOING SO FAR TO DENY IT TO COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ'S, REFUSAL TO SHARE ANY EVIDENCE THAT HPD AND THE CITY IS NOT SHARING FLOCK DATA WITH ICE.
SO FAR THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN, HEY, JUST TRUST ME BRO.
AND I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE RIDICULOUS.
IF YOU WANNA SHOW THAT Y'ALL ARE NOT LAP DOCS TO THE EPSTEIN CLASS, LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY AND NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS.
IF YOU ARE ALLOWED, AND IF YOU THINK THAT PEOPLE LIKE ALEX BRADY SHOULD GET THAT YOU GET SHOT YOU AND YOU LIKE, OH, WHATEVER, IT'S FINE.
BUT A LITTLE BIT OF YELLING THAT'S UNCALLED FOR, I THINK THAT SAYS MORE ABOUT YOU.
[01:55:06]
UH, GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MAYOR.WHEN PEOPLE COME FROM OUT OF TOWN TO VISIT ME IN HOUSTON, THEY ALWAYS COMMENT ON THE WONDERFUL VARIETY OF RESTAURANTS WE HAVE HERE.
WE HAVE THAT BECAUSE OF THE WONDERFUL VARIETY OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE, FROM A WONDERFUL VARIETY OF PLACES, IMMIGRATION DEFINES THE CHARACTER OF THIS CITY.
WE ARE UNDENIABLY A CITY OF IMMIGRANTS.
IT IS NOT ONLY CRUEL, BUT ALSO SELF-DEFEATING TO MAKE HOUSTON HOSTILE TO IMMIGRATION, TO MAKE PEOPLE SCARED TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES FOR FEAR OF BEING TORN AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILY.
I WANT MY NEIGHBORS TO BE ABLE TO LIVE IN PEACE AND CONTINUE TO MAKE HOUSTON A CITY I'M PROUD AND HONORED TO LIVE IN.
I URGE YOU TO END NON-SAFETY RELATED TRAFFIC STOPS AND TO END ALL COLLABORATION BETWEEN HPD AND ICE.
THANK YOU ANTHONY HUBBARD TO BE FOLLOWED BY KATYA LAONA.
WHAT IS GOING ON TODAY? THE FRONT STEPS ARE BARRICADED.
10 COPS ARE OUT THERE BY THE ENTRANCE.
I CAN'T TELL IF Y'ALL ARE AFRAID OR TRYING TO TERMINATE US.
WE ASK FOR THE BARE MINIMUM ENDING.
NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS THE NUMBER ONE REASON Y'ALL GAVE FOR NOT TAKING ACTION AGAINST ICE.
SB FOUR TRAFFIC STOPS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH SB FOUR.
THIS IS SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO DO TODAY, NOT BE TARGETED BY THE STATE OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
THERE'S NO REASON NOT TO PASS THIS, BUT MY, A LOT OF THIS FALLS ON YOU.
IT'S VERY TELLING THAT YOU ONE SPORT TODAY IS A PRO ICE REPUBLICAN.
WHO ARE YOU REPRESENTING? WHO ARE YOU PROTECTING? CERTAINLY NOT OUR COMMUNITY.
CERTAINLY NOT MY FRIENDS, CERTAINLY MY FAMILY.
YOU KICKED OUT TWO PEOPLE A DAY THAT WERE JUST VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE COMMUNITIES AND WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT Y'ALL? THANK YOU.
KAJA LAONA NICHOLAS RONELL JR.
YES, I NEED MY BODYGUARDS WHEN I GO HOME TO BE FOLLOWED BY THOMAS SUTHERLAND.
MY NAME IS NICK REELL, AND IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY, ALLOW ME TO USE THREE METAPHORS.
I KNOW WE'RE GONNA COME OUT TODAY AND SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL WILL SAY, WE'RE IMPOTENT TO ACT.
BUT I WOULD ASK YOU TO INVESTIGATE THE CONCEPT OF THE BULLY PULPIT.
IF TRULY YOU ARE IMPOTENT TO ACT, YOU HAVE A BULLY PULPIT UPON WHICH YOU CAN SPEAK ABOUT THE INJUSTICE UPON THE THINGS WHICH YOU ARE FORCED TO ACT UPON.
IMAGINE WORKING WITH ABUSED WOMEN AND TELLING THEM, JUST TRUST WHAT YOUR HUSBAND HAS TO TELL YOU.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DOING WHEN YOU'RE TELLING US TO SIMPLY TRUST ICE.
FINALLY, I RECENTLY HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WATCHING THE SOUND OF MUSIC FOR THE FIRST TIME.
IMAGINING WATCHING THE SOUND OF MUSIC AND ROOTING FOR HAN ZELLER TO ABDUCT THE V TRAPS.
THAT'S WHAT AT LEAST ONE PERSON IN THE CHAMBERS WOULD PROBABLY BE OKAY WITH.
I SUSPECT THE REST OF US WOULD NOT END COLLABORATION.
AND IF YOU DON'T, AT THE VERY LEAST, SPEAK AGAINST IT, DON'T SIMPLY SAY WE HAVE THE INABILITY TO ACT.
I KNOW COUNCILMAN POLLARD UNDERSTANDS THE STRENGTH OF THE BULLY PULPIT OTHER MEMBERS DO TOO.
YOU TIME USE THAT AT THE VERY LEAST.
THOMAS SUTHERLAND TO BE FOLLOWED BY VIENNA TRO.
ICE VIOLATES THE LAW IN D REGARDS THE HUMANITY OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
COURTS HAVE RULED 4,400 TIMES THAT ICE HAS JAILED PEOPLE ILLEGALLY.
TWO ICE OFFICERS STAND ACCUSED OF LYING UNDER OATH.
AN IRISH MAN IN ICE CUSTODY RECENTLY DESCRIBED CONDITIONS APPROACHING THAT AT A CONCENTRATION CAMP.
REUBEN RAY MARTINEZ, AN AMERICAN CITIZEN IN SAN ANTONIO, WAS KILLED IN MARCH OF LAST YEAR AT THE HANDS OF A FEDERAL AGENT.
I HAVE TESTIFIED IN FRONT OF THIS BODY SEVERAL TIMES, AND TO BE FRANK, YOU SEEM MORE BOTHERED BY OUR CLAPPING THAN BY THESE VIOLATIONS OF THE LAW AND OF HUMANITY.
YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO PROVE ME WRONG.
END NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS, END HP'S COLLABORATION WITH ICE
[02:00:01]
AND KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE FROM THE FASCIST THUGS WHO THREATEN THEM.VIENNA TRON HALEY ROGERS, KELLY SADLER, MICHELLE BOUCHARD TO BE FOLLOWED BY GILDA, BY AGON.
I LIVE IN, IN, UH, COUNCIL THREE IN MONTROSE.
AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF UNITED STATES CITIZEN DRIVERS AND THE DOCUMENTED, UH, IMMIGRANT DRIVERS HERE BECAUSE IT IS TERRIFYING DRIVING IN HOUSTON, AS YOU KNOW.
AND OVER 300 PEOPLE DIE IN TRASHES.
UH, IT'S NOT TRASHES AND CRASHES EVERY YEAR.
AND WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? WHAT PLANET DO THESE PEOPLE LIVE ON THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT? NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE DATA, IT IS REALLY CLEAR.
THESE TRAFFIC STOPS PREVENT ACCIDENTS.
THEY PREVENT PROBLEMS, THEY SAVE LIVES.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT DATA THESE GUYS ARE LOOKING AT, BUT IT'S VERY CLEAR, BRO.
FIXING A BROKEN TAIL LIGHT IS, IS CRUCIAL.
MOST FATAL CRASHES TAKE PLACE BETWEEN SUNSET AND SUNRISE.
YOU CAN'T GO AROUND WITH A, WITH A TAIL LIGHT THAT'S OUT.
AND, AND A LOT OF THESE, I MEAN, THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE 95 YEARS OLD WHO ARE DRIVING AROUND HERE, A NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOP.
LET'S THINK ABOUT LIVES, SAVING LIVES, SAVING LIVES OF LEGAL CITIZENS.
DISAGREE WITH YOU, HUH? YOU DIDN'T CALL ME YET, BUT I'M BYGONE NEXT IN LINE.
AND THIS WAS A COMMENT FOR, UM, OH, SURE.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR COMING TONIGHT.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE HEARD A LOT ALREADY TONIGHT ABOUT ENDING THESE NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS.
THAT THEY DON'T ADDRESS THE ROOT ISSUE OF CRIME.
THAT IT DOESN'T IMPROVE SAFETY ON OUR ROADWAYS.
THEY IMPROVE THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
RECENTLY, HPD STOPPED A VEHICLE FOR AN EXPIRED REGISTRATION.
THE DRIVER WAS A WANTED FELON.
HE HAD A WARRANT OUT FOR AGGRAVATED ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON.
DURING THAT STOP, THEY FOUND THAT HE HAD A FIREARM IN HIS POSSESSION.
ANOTHER STOP INVOLVED A CAR WITH NO FRONT LICENSE PLATE.
THE DRIVER ENDED UP BEING A CAPITAL MURDER SUSPECT.
WHEN THEY TRIED TO APPREHEND HIM, HE FLED, CRASHED.
WHEN HE WAS APPREHENDED, HE WAS CHARGED WITH EVADING A FELONY, EVADING WITH A MOTOR VEHICLE, EVADING TAMPERING WITH EVIDENCE AND FELONY CAPITAL MURDER.
ANOTHER DRIVER WAS STOPPED FOR NOT WEARING A SEATBELT.
THAT DRIVER ENDED UP HAVING ALMOST SEVEN KILOS OF HEROIN AND WAS ARRESTED FOR POSSESSION WITH A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE WITH INTENT TO DELIVER.
NOW THESE ARE JUST THREE EXAMPLES, AND TO SAY THAT THESE ARE NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS IS FALSE.
THESE STOPS PROTECT THE PUBLIC.
THEY APPREHENDED VIOLENT OFFENDERS, THEY KEPT HEROIN OFF OF, OUT OFF OF OUR STREETS AND OUT OF OUR SCHOOLS.
SO I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU HAD TO SAY TONIGHT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILWOMAN.
AND, AND YOU'VE GIVEN US VERY DRAMATIC EXAMPLES.
BUT IF YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT PEOPLE BEING STOPPED FOR NOT WEARING THEIR SAFETY BELT, WE KNOW THE STATISTICS ON WEARING YOUR SEATBELT.
RIGHT? SO WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS AND MEASURE THAT AGAINST, YOU KNOW, THE, THE REAL DEATHS THAT ARE OCCURRING ON OUR HIGHWAYS.
NEXT, NEXT GILDA GON TO BE FOLLOWED BY CHRISTOPHER RIVERA.
I AM THE DESCENDANT OF IMMIGRANTS, AS ARE ALL OF US.
UNLESS THERE'S SOME INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN HERE, WE ARE ALL IMMIGRANTS OR DESCENDANTS OF IMMIGRANTS.
IT'S NOT A SPECIAL CLASS THAT IS IMMUNE FROM THE LAWS OF THIS COUNTRY OR OUR CITY.
I'D LIKE TO REMIND MY FELLOW CITIZENS THAT MIGRATION WITH DIGNITY IS LEGAL MIGRATION.
I'D LIKE TO REMIND COUNSEL THAT YOU'RE HERE NOT TO OVERSEE ICE.
YOU ARE HERE TO KEEP OUR CITY RUNNING WELL, TO KEEP US SAFE AND NOT TO IMPEDE HPD TO UNDERSCORE WHAT MY COLLEAGUE JUST SAID.
THERE'S A LAW THAT REQUIRES CARS TO HAVE LIGHTS.
[02:05:01]
SEE THEM.THERE'S A REASON THERE'S A LAW THAT REQUIRES WINDSHIELDS NOT TO BE BROKEN.
IT'S SO THAT THE DRIVER CAN SEE OUT OF HIS WINDSHIELD AND NOT CAUSE WRECKS.
THERE IS NOT ONE OF THESE LAWS PASSED THAT WE CAN DO WITHOUT.
AND FOR YOU TO SIT UP HERE AND TELL HPD THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO STOP PEOPLE FOR THESE VIOLATIONS IS RECKLESS.
YOU ARE, YOU ARE RISKING OUR SAFETY TO PURSUE YOUR OWN LEFT AGENDA.
COUNCIL MS. GON, COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN.
UH, YOU CAN USE MY TIME TO FINISH.
WHAT? YOU CAN USE MY TIME TO FINISH.
CHRISTOPHER RIVERA TO BE FOLLOW, FOLLOWED BY CAROLINA MARTINEZ.
MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER RIVERA.
I WORK WITH THE TEXAS CIVIL RIGHTS PROJECT.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE RICE COALITION AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT H.
AND BEFORE I, WHEN I'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE I, I SPOKEN ABOUT, UH, THE RACIAL DISPARITIES TIED TO NON-SEC TRAFFIC STOCKS.
BUT TODAY I DO WANNA TALK ABOUT THE, UM, HOW NON-SEC TRAFFIC STOCKS REALLY DIVERT OFFICERS RESOURCES AND DOES LITTLE TO PROMOTE PUBLIC SAFETY DESPITE WHAT THE WOMAN HAD TO SAID EARLIER TODAY.
WHEN YOU LOOK@TEXAS.DATA, YOU SEE THAT THE MAIN CAUSES OF ROAD FATALITIES AND INJURIES ARE DWI, FAILURE TO CONTROL SPEED, UNSAFE, SPEEDY, UH, UNSAFE DRIVING AND SPEEDING, PEDESTRIANS FAILING, UH, TO THE RIGHT OF WAY TO VEHICLES, UH, AND DISTRACTED DRIVING.
YOU KNOW, THESE ARE ACTUALLY BACKED BY DATA BY TEXAS.IN THOSE FATALITIES AND ROAD INJURIES.
DID I NOT LIST BUSTED TAILLIGHTS? EXPIRED REGISTRATION? NO, BECAUSE THERE'S ACTUALLY NO DATA TO SUGGEST THAT THAT CAUSES ROAD FATALITY INJURY.
SO THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO END NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS BECAUSE IT HAS NO TRUE EFFECT AND DOES NOT PROMOTE PUBLIC SAFETY.
IT JUST ALLOWS POLICE TO TARGET BLACK AND BROWN AND LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES.
OKAY, CAROLINA MARTINEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALFREDO DOMINGUEZ.
HI, MY NAME IS SCOTT O THE FIRST TIME I SPOKE TO CITY HALL WAS IN DECEMBER FOR THE EVENING SESSION, AND I ASKED YOU TO PUT AN END TO NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS.
SURPRISINGLY, SOME OF YOU WERE OPEN TO THE IDEA.
UM, AND YOU'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT ME AND WHAT OTHER PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY HAVE ASKED YOU TO DO.
RIGHT? NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC STOPS CAUSE MORE HARM THAN THEY DO GOOD.
THESE STOPS STRAIN, POLICE RESOURCES CREATE UNNECESSARY IN INTERACTIONS AND DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACT COMMUNITIES SUCH AS MINE.
SO TODAY I WON'T TALK ABOUT THE DATA BECAUSE THE DATA IS THERE, UNLIKE SOME PEOPLE HAVE SAID.
I WILL ASK MY COUNCIL MEMBERS DIRECTLY.
JULIAN RAMIREZ, WILLIE DAVIS, SALLY ALCORN, ALEJANDRA SALINAS, TWILA CARTER, AND MARIO CASTILLO.
WHERE DO YOU STAND? ARE YOU SUPPORTING A PROPOSITION THAT WILL END NON-SAFE TRAFFIC STOPS? AND IF YOU DON'T, TELL ME WHY I'M YOUR CONSTITUENT.
THANK YOU ALFREDO DOMINGUEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY, FOLLOWED BY JAY BUSTOS.
UH, ALFREDO DOMINGUEZ, BACK TO YOU AGAIN.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO MY REPRESENTATIVE.
UM, ONCE AGAIN, I'M AT THE END OF THE LIST.
I DON'T KNOW WHO SETS ME UP LIKE THIS, BUT I'M STILL HAPPY TO TALK TO Y'ALL.
I I, I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT Y'ALL HAVE FOUND FINALLY MAYBE FOUR OR FIVE PEOPLE WHO'VE DISAGREED WITH THIS ORDINANCE OVER THE LAST FIVE OR SIX MONTHS THAT WE'VE BEEN TESTIFYING ABOUT IT AND BROUGHT OUT HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO REALLY LOOK AT THE MERITS OF THE DISCUSSION, RIGHT? BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE PROVIDING THREE ANECDOTES IN COMPARISON TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS, THAT HANDLE THAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR IN THE CITY WITH LESS THAN 5% OF THEM RESULTING IN KIND OF ANY KIND OF SEARCH OR ARREST OR CONTRABAND BEING FOUND, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR IN TERMS OF THE INVESTMENT AND TIME THAT THE CITY'S PUTTING INTO THESE RESOURCES.
A THIRD OF ALL TRAFFIC STOPS THAT HAPPENED, WERE NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS, RIGHT? THESE ARE, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON WHEN WE'RE TALKING, THIS IS NOT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, RIGHT? WE HAVE TO GOVERN WITH EFFICIENCY IN MIND.
AND BECAUSE YOU'RE SPENDING EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR YOU SPEND AS DOLLARS YOU'RE GETTING FROM CONSTITUENTS, RIGHT? YOU'RE NOT PRINTING ANY MONEY IN THE CITY AND YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE IT'S ACTING AND OPERATING EFFICIENTLY.
AND WE DON'T THINK NOT SAFETY SHOPS DISCUSS, NOT ONLY ARE THEY A RACIST PRACTICE, BUT PURELY FROM THE EFFICIENCY AND ECONOMIC STANDPOINT.
WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT EVERY TIME WE HEAR ABOUT HPD, IT'S THIS CITY IS TOO BIG TO COVER, WE'RE GIVING YOU A CHANCE TO LIGHTEN THE LOAD.
YOUR TIME, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
[02:10:04]
JAY BUSTOS TO BE FOLLOWED BY JACOB CLEMENT EVENING, EVERYONE, WE HAVE YET TO GET A SOLID STANCE ON ALL THIS.AND IF IT'S NOT OBVIOUS, ICE THE STANCE.
AND I QUOTE FROM WHITMEYER, WE DO NOT INTERACT WITH ICE IS NOT A STANCE.
STANDING ON THE SIDE AND ALLOWING ALL THESE DISGUSTING THINGS TO OCCUR TO ALL THESE AMAZING RESIDENTS AND ALL THE, UH, PEOPLE OF HOUSTON THAT'S NOT STANDING WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS, NOT STANDING WITH THE CITY.
WELL, WITH HOW THINGS HAVE BEEN GOING.
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DEMANDING THESE THINGS MONTH AFTER MONTH AFTER MONTH.
SO LET'S CHANGE THINGS UP A LITTLE BIT.
HOW ABOUT SINCE THIS IS A PUBLIC SESSION AND AT LEAST SOME, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE BEEN VOCAL ABOUT CERTAIN THINGS, HOW ABOUT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE ABOUT THIS? WHAT IS IT GONNA TAKE? YOU KNOW, WHAT IS IT ON THIS CHECKLIST OR WHAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE THE LINE THAT ICE IS SUPPOSED TO CROSS FOR YOU TO ACTUALLY BE VOCAL ABOUT THIS? FINISH YOUR TESTIMONY.
WHY LOOK LIKE THAT? HOW Y'ALL DOING, JAY? WE'RE DOING WONDERFUL.
MAY I TELL YOU WHAT, MAN? WHOEVER GOT THAT
I'D BE REALLY IGNORANT RIGHT NOW.
I CASE SEE NONE OF Y'ALL ON TV.
BUT ANYWAY, UH, I WAS GONNA DO MY JELLY ON 16, UH, STEPS OF BARACK.
NO, I'M GONNA CANCEL THE TABLE THAT BECAUSE I HAD A LONG DAY.
I KNOW I BECAME INSPIRED BY MICHAEL JACKSON AND, UH, PRINCE WHEN THEY WAS IN MY 20 SOMETHING.
BECAUSE NOT ONLY BECAUSE THE MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT TALENT, I WAS LEARN HOW MICHAEL JACKSON, PRINCE BARRY GORDON, JAMES BROWN, MADE ALL THAT MONEY.
POLITICALLY SPEAKING AT AN ENTERTAINMENT MAJOR AT A COMPANY.
I PROBABLY HAVE THE SAME ECONOMIC, FINANCIAL ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY INSTEAD OF HAVE A POLITICAL LEADERSHIP PROPOSAL OR DENY SMACK OF JACKSON PRINCE PRODUCTION COMPANY.
SAME CREATED ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.
BUT THE REALITY, I HAD THIS GUY, THAT RAPPER, HE USED TO CALL C ME, THAT HE HAD A SONG CALLED DRIVE MY DIRTY IN HOUSTON.
NOW I'M GONNA TELL YOU THE REALITY OF IMMIGRANTS.
YOUR YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED AND PULL YOU OVER AND CHECK EVERYTHING.
NO MATTER WHAT RATIO, THEY CAN'T DO THAT.
THEN YOU GO TO COURT, THEY DO PROBABLE COURT, THEY FIND OUT IF YOU'RE INNOCENT, THEN THEY GO TO COURT, GO BEFORE THE JUDGE, THEN THAT BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
NOW I, IF YOU GOT A WARRANT, THEY CAN'T TAKE YOU TO JAIL.
TALK OF PEOPLE, BLACK, BLAH BLAH, BLACK.
IF THEY GOT AN OUTSTANDING AWARD ON YOU, THEY CAN TAKE A JAIL.
THE HOURS YOU AIN'T GOT NO WARRANT ON YOU GO TO CIVIL COURT, TAKE A TICKET.
LET'S SEE WHAT, HOW AFTER THAT PEOPLES TOO, THIS COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD THAT THEIR NAME WAS CALLED AND YOU WEREN'T HERE TO COME FORWARD? YEAH.
SAMUEL JESS, AND A RECENT HOUSTON TRANSPLANT.
AND WHILE I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MY VIEWS ARE MY OWN AND I SHOULD HAVE ONE MINUTE OF TIME.
UH, THOSE VIEWS HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY LIVING IN SEVERAL MAJOR US CITIES EVERYWHERE.
I'VE WITNESSED THAT THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN POLICE AND ICE DOES NOT ENGENDER SAFETY AND COMMUNITY.
RATHER, THEY INSTILL FEAR AND DISTRUST IN LOCAL INSTITUTIONS, MOST EGREGIOUSLY FELT BY OUR WORKING FAMILIES OF COLOR.
BASED ON THIS, WE SHOULD END COLLABORATION WITH ICE AND END NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS THAT FACILITATE DUBIOUS DEPORTATIONS.
FURTHERMORE, WE SHOULD BE WILLING TO CHALLENGE THE LEGALITY OF ANY POTENTIAL STATE OR FEDERAL LAWS IMPEDING OUR ABILITY TO DO SO GOING FORWARD.
FAILURE TO ACT BOLDLY ON THIS NOW ERODES ALL OF OUR CIVIL RIGHTS REGARDLESS OF CITIZENSHIP OR IMMIGRATION STATUS.
I ASK IS CITY COUNCIL WILLING TO BELIEVE THAT WE ARE STRONGER WHEN WE ARE UNITED TOGETHER WITH ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORS, OR WILL WE BE LEFT BEHIND BY THE SOLIDARITY OF THE PEOPLE? I ANTICIPATE YOUR RESPONSE.
ANYONE ELSE? IF NOT, THANK Y'ALL FOR A GOOD SESSION.
WE STAND RECESS UNTIL NINE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
I WAS WAITING FOR THE LAST ONE,
[02:15:01]
HUH? WELL, I APPLAUD THE ELOQUENT.I'LL BE SEEING THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY VERY SOON ABOUT A LETTER HE SENT ME.
WHAT'S YOUR NAME, SIR? UH, RALPH KIRBY.
WE'RE LISTED AND YOU'VE ALREADY GOT MY PAPERWORK.
AND UM, I'LL JUST BE TALKING ABOUT OBSTRUCTIONS AND AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE BUTLER SCHOOL SHOOTING.
[RECESS]
IT.[READING OF THE CONSENT AGENDA]
ANNA RUSSELL COUNCIL CHAMBER.I WILL NOW READ THE CAPTIONS FOR THE AGENDA OF FEBRUARY 25TH, 2026.
ITEM ONE, REQUEST FOR MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF JESSICA O'NEILL.
POSITION 10 OF THE EAST DOWNTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
ITEM TWO, REQUEST FOR MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT AND REAPPOINTMENT OF THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE EAST END DISTRICT.
ITEM THREE HAS BEEN PULLED AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
ITEM FOUR, REQUEST FROM MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT AND REAPPOINTMENT OF THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS TO THE HOUSTON DOWNTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT.
ITEM FIVE, REQUEST FROM MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT AND REAPPOINTMENT OF THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS TO THE HOUSTON HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.
ITEM FIVE, REQUEST FOR MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT AND REAPPOINTMENT OF THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS TO THE HOUSTON HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.
ITEM SIX, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM OR HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL.
ACCEPT THE WORK AND AUTHORIZE FINAL PAYMENT IF ANY OF THE CONTRACT WITH JURIS GENERAL CONTRACTORS.
ITEM SEVEN, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR GENERAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT THAT HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL ACCEPT THE WORK AND AUTHORIZE FINAL PAYMENT IF ANY OF THE CONTRACT WITH DAVID E. HARVEY BUILDERS INC.
ITEM EIGHT, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS AT HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL.
ACCEPT THE WORKING AND AUTHORIZED FINAL PAYMENT IF ANY OF THE CONTRACT WITH ANDREW JORDAN INDUSTRIAL LLC.
RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS THAT HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL WILL ACCEPT THE WORKING AND AUTHORIZED FINAL PAYMENT IF ANY OF THE CONTRACT WITH GRAVA LLC.
ITEM 10, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS THAT HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL ACCEPT THE WORK AND AUTHORIZE FINAL PAYMENT IF ANY OF THE CONTRACT WITH HORSESHOE CONSTRUCTION INC.
ITEM 11, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS THAT HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL ACCEPT THE WORK AND AUTHORIZE FINAL PAYMENT IF ANY OF THE CONTRACT WITH EC CONSTRUCTION RESOURCES INC.
ITEM 12, APPROVE SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR PURCHASE OF ELECTION SECURITY TRAINING AND EXERCISE CONSULTING SERVICES AWARDED TO THE CNA CORPORATION.
ITEM 13 APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR GROUNDS MAINTENANCE SERVICES FOR THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION AWARDED TO WORK QUEST ITEM 14 APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY TO FUND THE CITY'S PORTION OF THE SECOND INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN SAN JACINTO RIVER AUTHORITY CITY OF BOL AND CITY OF HOUSTON FOR LAKE CONROE LAKE HOUSTON JOINT RESERVOIR OPERATION.
STUDY ITEM 15 RESOLUTION CONFIRMING NO OBJECTION TO PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AS AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING OF CERTAIN PROPERTIES WHICH ARE SUBJECT TO THE ONE MILE THREE YEAR RULE EACH LOCATED IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND SUBMITTAL APPLICATIONS FOR NON-COMPETITIVE 4% HOUSING TAX CREDIT FOR SUCH DEVELOPMENTS.
ITEM 16 RESOLUTION ALLOWING PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT OF BENICIA PLACE AND AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING PROPERTY LOCATED AT 39 10 OLD SPANISH TRAIL IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND WITHIN A CENSUS TRACK THAT HAS A POVERTY RATE ABOVE 40% FOR INDIVIDUALS IN AUTHORIZING THE ALLOCATION OF 2025 HOUSING TAX CREDITS TO SUCH DEVELOPMENT.
ITEM 17 RESOLUTION, CONFIRM AND SUPPORT FOR PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AS AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING OF CERTAIN PROPERTIES WHICH ARE SUBJECT TO THE ONE MILE THREE YEAR RULE EACH LOCATED IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND SUBMITTAL OF APPLICATIONS FOR COMPETITIVE 9% HOUSING TAX CREDITS FOR SUCH DEVELOPMENTS ALLOWING THE CONSTRUCTION OF SUCH DEVELOPMENTS FOR LOSS AT WAYFAIR.
LOCATED AT BLACK HAWK AND TEXAS SAGE DRIVE.
ITEM 18, ORDINANCE SUPPLEMENTING CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS MASTER ORDINANCE NUMBER 2004 DASH 2 99 SUPPLEMENTING CITY OF HOUSTON.
ORDINANCE NUMBER 2004 DASH 300.
ORDINANCE NUMBER 2008 DASH ORDINANCE NUMBER 2008 DASH 2 52.
ORDINANCE NUMBER 2010 DASH TWO 15.
ORDINANCE NUMBER 2013 DASH 200.
ORDINANCE NUMBER 2016 DASH TWO 13.
ORDINANCE NUMBER 2019 DASH 3 77 AND ORDINANCE NUMBER 2022 DASH 1 57 AUTHORIZING THE REMARKETING OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM.
FIRST LIEN REVENUE REFUNDING BOND SERIES 2004 B DASH TWO THROUGH A PRIVATE PLACEMENT AND THE EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF A CONTINUING COVENANT AGREEMENT.
ITEM 19, ORDINANCE APPROVED AND AUTHORIZING FIRST
[02:20:01]
AMENDMENT TO SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND NORTHWEST ASSISTANT ASSISTANCE MINISTRIES TO DELIGATE HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM.AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDS ALLOCATED FOR ADMINISTRATION COSTS AND PROVIDE IN STREET HOMELESSNESS FUNDING FOR ADMINISTRATION COSTS TO CONTINUE OPERATING PROGRAM THAT WILL SERVE HOUSEHOLDS ANNUALLY WHO ARE AT RISK FOR EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
ITEM 20 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $1,454,981 91 CENTS TO UPTOWN TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE BOND SERIES 2021 FUNDS FOR SINGLE FAMILY ACTIVITIES.
ITEM 21 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $12 MILLION APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING CONTRACTS WITH AT ATKINS REALIST USA INC.
MICHAEL BAKER INTERNATIONAL INC.
ITEM 22 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SECOND AMENDMENT TO CONTRACT WITH FLATIRON DRAGATOS CONSTRUCTORS INC.
ITEM 23 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $5 MILLION APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING CONTRACT WITH BURNS ENGINEERING INC.
AND JACOBS ENGINEERING GROUP INC.
ITEM 24 ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE FBT GIBBONS LLP ITEM 25 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION FOR GRANT ASSISTANCE TO THE TEXAS OFFICE OF THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR FOR THE FY 2027 JUVENILE JUSTICE SAFE SCHOOLS PLUS SAFER FAMILIES.
GRANT ITEM 26 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION FOR GRANT ASSISTANCE TO THE TEXAS OFFICE OF THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR FOR THE FY 2027 CRIMINAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE GRANT PROGRAM, REDUCING RECIDIVISM THROUGH FAMILY REUNIFICATION AND STRUCTURED REENTRY SUPPORT GRANT.
ITEM 27 ORDINANCE APPRO AN AUTHORIZING PAYMENT TO HOUSTON FORENSIC SCIENCE CENTER, INC.
OPERATING EXPENSES PURSUANT TO FIRST INTER LOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND HOUSTON FORENSIC SCIENCE CENTER, INC.
ITEM 28 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATE $143,441.
THE PROVEN AN AUTHORIZING CONTRACT WITH MILLENNIUM PROJECT SOLUTIONS LLC ITEM 29.
ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $12,197,977 APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING CONTRACT WITH TIMES CONSTRUCTION INC.
ITEM 30 ORDINANCE APPROVED AND AUTHORIZING CONTRACT WITH MAXIM CRANE WORKS LP ITEM 31 ORDINANCE APPROVED AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO CONTRACT WITH LIBERTY TIRE RECYCLING.
LLC ITEM 32 ORDINANCE APPROVED AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO CONTRACT WITH CAPTAIN KIRK'S MARINE SERVICE INC.
ITEM 33 ORDINANCE RELATING TO FISCAL AFFAIRS OF UPPER KIRBY REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ON BEHALF OF REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER 19, APPROVING FISCAL YEAR 2026 OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE AUTHORITY AND FISCAL YEARS 2026 THROUGH 2030.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN BUDGET FOR THE ZONE.
ITEM 34, ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2025 DASH 9 93 RELATING TO AVALOR TAX EXEMPTION ON HISTORICAL SITE LOCATED AT 41 58 MEYER WOOD DRIVE.
ITEM 35 ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE NORTH SIDE OF THE 2,800 THROUGH 2,900 BLOCKS OF WHEELER STREET BETWEEN DELANO STREET AND THE INDUSTRY WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS A SPECIAL MINIMUM LOT SIZE BLOCK PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 42 OF THE COURT OF ORDINANCES.
ITEM 36, ORDINANCE CONSENTED TO THE ANNEXATION OF 3.9355 ACRES OF LAND TO HARRIS COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NUMBER 1 0 2 ITEM 37, ORDINANCE CONSENTING TO THE ADDITION OF 5.5779 ACRES OF LAND TO MONTGOMERY COUNTY WATER CONTROL AND IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT NUMBER ONE ITEM 38 ORDINANCE CONSENTING TO THE ADDITION OF 10.0430 ACRES OF LAND TO SUNBELT FRESH WATER SUPPLY DISTRICT.
ITEM 39 ORDINANCE APPRO AND AUTHORIZING PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND WILLIAM E. HICKMAN AND JENNIFER A. HICKMAN WITH RIGHTS OF SURVIVORSHIP FOR SALE OF APPROXIMATELY 2,559 SQUARE FEET OF LAND BEING PART OF THAT CERTAIN 24.023 ACRE TRACK SITUATION IN THE GEORGIA OR GEORGE L BELLOWS SURVEY.
ITEM 40 ORDINANCE APPROVED AND AUTHORIZING INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT ITEM 41 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING CONTRACT WITH ST.
GEORGE PLACE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH ST.
GEORGE PLAY SCHOOL CROSSINGS IMPROVEMENT.
ITEM 42 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO CONTRACT WITH GULF COAST WATER AUTHORITY.
ITEM 43, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $5,250,000 APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON IN ATKINS REALES USA INC.
ITEM 44 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $6,695,718
[02:25:01]
50 CENTS APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND RPS INFRASTRUCTURE INC.THIS COMPLETES THE READING OF THE CAPTIONS FOR THE AGENDA OF FEBRUARY 25TH, 2026.
STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT SESSION OF HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM AND WITH THAT I WISH EVERYONE A BLESSED AND HAPPY HUMP DAY.
[RECONVENE]
COME TO ORDER.[MAYOR'S REPORT]
FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS A SHORT MAYOR'S REPORT.UH, APPLE HAS CHOSEN HOUSTON FOR A LARGE MANUFACTURING PROJECT, SO WE CONTINUE TO ATTRACT, UH, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY, WHICH WILL PROVIDE JOBS AND IMPROVE REVENUE AND QUALITY OF LIFE AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE WORK HARD FOR.
UH, SPEAKING OF QUALITY OF LIFE, FRIDAY IS GO TEXAN DAY AND WE'LL HAVE THE RODEO ROUNDUP IN FRONT OF CITY HALL FROM 11:00 AM TO 1:00 PM AND THEN OF COURSE, THE TRAIL RIDES COME IN FOR THE PARADE ON SATURDAY MORNING.
OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A HUGE EVENT THAT HELPS US WITH SCHOLARSHIPS AND JOBS AND JUST REALLY, UH, A GOOD TIME.
SO EVERYONE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
BE SAFE AND, UH, LET'S CONTINUE WORKING TOGETHER.
MR. SECRETARY, CAN WE START WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA? DO YOU WANNA DO NUMBER FIVE FIRST? MM-HMM
DID YOU WANNA DO NUMBER FIVE FOR THE APPOINTMENT? YEAH, WHY DON'T WE PROVIDE THE COURTESY OF TAKING NUMBER FIVE OUT OF ORDERS.
WE HAVE GUESTS AND, UH, WE CAN RECOGNIZE THEM.
MAYOR CASTEX TATUM, MOVE TO TAKE ITEM FIVE.
WOULD YOU LOWER COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ FOR PROCEDURAL MOTION? YES.
MOVE TO, UH, DIVIDE THE QUESTION AND SEPARATELY CONSIDER, UH, APPOINTMENT OF MR. MANU GUPTA.
FIVE IS BEFORE THIS DIVIDE THE RIGHT ITEM.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM FIVE CAST? SAY TO MOVE.
HAVING DIVIDED THE QUESTION NOW MOVE TO REFER THE ITEM, UH, PERTAINING TO THE APPOINTMENT OF MR. GUPTA.
ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES AS OPPOSED NAY.
MAYOR, MAY I JUST EXPLAIN THAT LAST MOVE HERE? YOU CAN.
IN THE INTERIM, MR. GUPTA HAS, HAS LET US KNOW THAT, THAT, UH, HE DOESN'T HAVE THE TIME TO, UH, UH, ADEQUATELY FULFILL THE POSITION.
JUST TO MAKE THAT, I GOT A BRIEFING ON THAT THIS MORNING.
I RESPECT THAT AND THANK HIM FOR HIS PUBLIC SERVICE.
I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE RYAN MENDEZ, I GUESS AS I CALL YOUR NAME IF YOU'RE PRESENT.
JUAN GONZALEZ, BOLIVAR FRAGA, AND CODY WEST.
LADIES, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT JOSH WAS THINKING.
WHERE'S, WHERE'S THE LADIES? UH, WE'LL WORK ON HIM.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE AND THANKS FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING.
UH, POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE A GROUP OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM THE ALDEN ISD.
UH, THESE STUDENTS ARE MEMBERS OF, OF LEADERS OF THEIR RESPECTIVE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT GROUPS ON CAMPUS.
UH, IF Y'ALL COULD STAND, UM, AND AS THEY STAND, I WANNA RECOGNIZE TWO OTHER, UH, INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE GOOD FRIENDS.
AND ALSO, UH, MY FRATERNITY BROTHER ABEL GARZA.
HE'S THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF GOVERN GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUENCY SERVICES FOR ALDEN ISD.
UH, I JUST WANNA WELCOME YOU ALL TO CITY HALL, UH, AGAIN AFTERWARDS.
I'D LOVE TO HAVE CONVERSATION WITH YOU, UH, SEE WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE ABOUT WHAT THIS PROCESS IS, AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR SHOWING UP TO YOUR CITY HALL.
[02:30:01]
PEOPLE GO, GO.[CONSENT AGENDA]
MR. SECRETARY, THE CONSENT AGENDA, PLEASE.UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY, ITEM THREE HAS BEEN PULLED AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
ITEM FIVE HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEMS ONE, TWO, AND FOUR CASTEX TAKE TO MOVE? MOTION IS MADE.
MOTION PASSES UNDER THE ACCEPT WORK CATEGORY.
ITEM SEVEN HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEMS 6, 8, 9, 10, AND 11? UH, MAYOR PROTE.
MAYOR, I KNOW WE, UM, WE VOTED ON THESE ITEMS. I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WERE ANY BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT THE EAST END DISTRICT THAT ARE HERE OR ANY OF THE HOUSTON DOWNTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE.
UM, SO WE DO HAVE SOME, WE DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THEM AND THANK THEM FOR THEIR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU MAYOR AND MAYOR PRO TEM FOR HIGHLIGHTING THE THE APPOINTEES.
I DO ALSO WANNA JUST CONGRATULATE, UH, THE FOLKS THAT ARE GETTING REAPPOINTED AND FOR THE EASTON DISTRICT AND DOWNTOWN DISTRICT, UH, WORK WELL WITH THE DISTRICT H OFFICE AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU AND YOUR TEAMS, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE CONSTITUENTS.
AND JUST, UH, ECHOING THE SAME SENTIMENTS.
UM, A LOT OF WORK HAPPENS WITH THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS.
I THINK, UH, AS WE ALL KNOW, UH, WE CAN'T DO THIS ALONE.
SO WHEN YOU COME IN TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, UH, THE MAINTENANCE OF RIGHT OF WAY, AND OF COURSE SUPPORTING THOSE, UH, BUSINESSES IN, IN YOUR RESPECTIVE, UH, MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS, IT HELPS THE CITY AS WELL.
SO, JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING WORKING WITH YOU AS, AS WELL.
NEXT, UNDER THE ACCEPT WORK CATEGORY, ITEM SEVEN HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM 6, 8, 9, 10, 11? CANT MOVE.
COUNSEL, UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF BIDS, CATEGORY ITEMS 12, 13, AND 14 HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION UNDER THE RESOLUTIONS CATEGORY.
ITEM 17 HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION ITEMS, ITEMS 15 AND 16 NEED A VOTE.
MOTION PASSES UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY.
THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW CHANGES.
UM, ALL ITEMS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED EXCEPT 19 AND 23.
ITEMS 18, 20, 22, 22, 31, 33 AND 40 HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
AGAIN, THOSE NUMBERS ARE 18, 20, 22, 31, 33, AND 40.
IS THERE VOTE ON THE BALANCE? ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES.
[CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA]
PASSES, ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM SEVEN? CAST
YOU WANNA HEAR BEFORE OR AFTER WE VOTE? BEFORE? UH, COUNCILMAN CAMAN? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
UM, THIS IS THE FINAL, UH, CONTRACT AMOUNT FOR THE NEW MONTROSE LIBRARY.
AND I JUST WANTED TO LIFT UP, UH, WHAT AN INCREDIBLE FACILITY THIS IS.
UH, JUST THIS MONTH ALONE, THE LIBRARY WELCOMED 7,720 VISITORS.
THAT'S IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR ALONE.
ALSO THE PROGRAMMING THAT WE'RE SEEING, UH, NEARLY 1500 STUDENTS, YOUNG ADULTS AND ADULTS PARTICIPATED IN ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING THAT THIS LIBRARY PROVIDED.
SO I WANTED TO SHOUT OUT, UM, OUR LIBRARY DEPARTMENT FOR ALL THE EXTRAORDINARY WORK THEY'RE DOING.
AND GSD FOR, UH, WHAT WE CREATED HERE IN A FISCALLY SOUND WAY.
MAYOR, I DID WANNA BRING UP, 'CAUSE WE HAD INQUIRED THE OLD MONTROSE LIBRARY, WHICH WAS BELOVED BY YOU AND ME.
UM, THERE'S A REVERTER CLAUSE IN THE CONTRACT THAT IF THE BUILDING IS NOT USED AS A LIBRARY WITHIN X NUMBER OF DAYS, IT AUTOMATICALLY REVERTS BACK TO ST.
AND SO WE HAD ASKED, YOU KNOW, DID WE GET ANYTHING FOR THIS?
[02:35:01]
UH, AND THE RESPONSE BACK WAS, NO, BECAUSE OF THE REVERTER CLAUSE.HOWEVER, I WANNA RAISE, UH, I HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS BECAUSE BACK IN SPRING OF 24, ST.
THOMAS HAD OFFERED US OVER A MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE PROPERTY.
AND, UH, WE WERE CONCERNED THAT THAT WAS A LOW BALL AT THAT TIME BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS PROPERTIES WERE SO MUCH MORE.
SO THE FACT THAT WE WERE OFFERED OVER A MILLION DOLLARS, WE DIDN'T TAKE THEM UP ON THE OFFER, BUT THEN WE ALLOWED, UH, THE REVERTER TO GO INTO EFFECT FOR IT TO LAPSE IS OF CONCERN WHEN MONEY IS SO TIGHT AT THE CITY.
SO, I HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
I'D LIKE TO WORK WITH YOUR ADMINISTRATION TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE'RE KEEPING AN EYE ON PROPERTIES THAT, AGAIN, ARE WORTH SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF MONEY.
UH, BUT WE GOT NOTHING FOR IT HERE.
AND THAT'S A, THAT'S A CONCERN OF MINE.
THANKS FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN ESTABLISHING A NEW LOCATION.
UH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM 12? CASTEX SAY TO MOVE I SECOND.
JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM.
THIS IS ABOUT $200,000 THAT WE'RE GETTING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UH, TO, UH, UPGRADE ELECTION SECURITY.
UM, HOUSTON WILL ACT AS A CONVENING, UH, BODY TO GATHER FOLKS FROM ACROSS THE REGION, UH, TO TALK ABOUT THREATS TO OUR ELECTIONS, INCLUDING CYBER THREATS, UM, UH, POSSIBLE ACTIVE SHOOTERS, WEATHER, UH, ET CETERA.
AND, UH, THIS WILL HELP, UH, INCREASE THE SECURITY SURROUNDING OUR ELECTIONS AND, AND, UH, HELPS FULFILL ONE OF THE NATIONAL PRIORITIES.
AND SO, JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT.
NEXT, IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM 13? CAST ATE A MOVE.
CERTAINLY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS ITEM AND ALL ITEMS TO HELP MAINTAIN OUR GREEN SPACE AND, AND REALLY LIKE THAT.
THIS, THIS GROUP, UM, WORKS WITH THE DISABLED COMMUNITY.
UM, KIND OF LIKE WE WERE WORKING WITH, UH, COER RESOURCE AND RECOVERY ON SOME OF THESE ITEMS. I DO, UM, WANT TO, THIS IS A BIG MONEY CONTRACT.
I DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ADEQUATELY FUNDING THESE CONTRACTS IN THE BUDGET, UM, OVER THE YEARS, AND WE'RE NOT CUTTING OUR, UM, OUR GREEN SPACE MAINTENANCE.
AND ALSO I DO SEE IN SOME OF THE SCOPE OF WORK THERE IS STORM DRAIN CLEANING.
SO PERHAPS WE COULD USE SOME OF THE STORMWATER FUND FOR THE STORM DRAIN CLEANING, UM, TO SUPPLEMENT OUR GENERAL FUND THERE.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM 14? CAST NEXT? STATE A MOVE COUNCIL MEMBER AFTER THE VOTE.
JUST WANTED TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR PASSING THIS TODAY.
UM, THIS IS ANOTHER SMALL STEP ON A VERY LONG JOURNEY, UH, WITH THE, UH, LAKE HOUSTON DAM.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THAT DAM'S CRITICAL FOR FLOOD MITIGATION FOR NOT ONLY THE AREA AROUND THE LAKE, BUT UPSTREAM ON THE EAST FORK AND THE WEST FORK OF SANTO RIVER.
UH, GREATLY APPRECIATE BEING ABLE TO GET THIS MONEY FROM THE COUNTY FINALIZED.
UM, ALSO KIND OF SPEAKING ON THIS, UM, THE, UH, SAN CENTER RIVER AUTHORITY IS HAVING A MEETING, UH, MARCH 5TH, WHERE THEY'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT, UH, COORDINATING THE DAM RELEASES BETWEEN LAKE HOUSTON AND LAKE CONROE.
SO HOPEFULLY ALL MY COMMUNITY WILL BE OUT THERE FOR THAT AS WELL.
UM, SUPPORTIVE OF THIS, UH, THIS ITEM.
IT'S IN THE HOBBY AIRPORT AREA.
UM, IT, IT INCREASES ABOUT 88 ADDITIONAL UNITS, UM, AND IT'S 60% A MI AND LOWER.
SO THAT BASICALLY SAYS ANYBODY A FAMILY OF FOUR MAKING 60,000 OR LOWER.
WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO SEE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN, IN OUR STOCK.
AND SO, UM, AS WE CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY SPACES THROUGHOUT THE CITY, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS IN THE HOBBY AIRPORT AREA.
[02:40:01]
AN ORDINANCE.POLLARD TAG TAGGED BY COUNCILMAN POLLARD.
NEXT, ITEM 31 IS AN ORDINANCE.
ALL COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER, AFTER, AFTER ALL IN FAVOR, SAY YES.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE TIRES AREN'T AS BIG OF AN ISSUE IN MY DISTRICT AS WHAT THEY ARE IN SOME OF THE OTHERS, BUT IT'S STILL A PROBLEM IN THE MIDDLE SECTION OF MY DISTRICT.
AND THE MORE I LOOK AT IT, THE MORE IT SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM.
UH, MY OFFICE WAS LOOKING AT THIS.
I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE WE HAD A TIRE ORDINANCE THAT WAS PASSED A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, OBVIOUSLY DEALING WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM.
SO WE STARTED DOING SOME DIGGING TO SEE, OKAY, ARE WE ACTUALLY ENFORCING THIS? AND WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH IT? AND TO MY SURPRISE, WE WERE ACTUALLY DOING A BETTER JOB OF THIS THAN, THAN WHAT I THOUGHT WE WOULD'VE BEEN GIVEN THE NUMBER OF TIRES WE HAVE.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO DO IS WITH THE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, IS TO HAVE A HEARING ON THIS.
TAKE A LOOK AT THE ORDINANCES, SEE IF MAYBE WE CAN BEEF 'EM UP, SEE IF IT'S AN ENFORCEMENT ISSUE, SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO TRY AND MAKE THIS BETTER.
AND I APPRECIATE COUNCIL MEMBER FLICK INSURED DEEP DIVING ON THIS.
UM, I JUST WANNA PIGGYBACK OFF OF THAT WITH ALL THE NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT'S AVAILABLE OUT THERE.
TIRE RECYCLING ITSELF HAS BECOME A VERY, UH, IMPORTANT MARKET THAT WE CAN ALSO BE LEVERAGING IN TERMS OF COST BENEFIT, UH, USE OF THESE TIRES FOR CITY ACTUAL FACILITIES, UM, FROM PLAYGROUND TURF TO OTHER THINGS.
BUT THERE'S NEW WAYS IN TERMS WHILE WE'RE LOOKING AT ENFORCEMENT, WE CAN BE MAKING THIS MORE, UH, FISCALLY SOUND, UH, AS A CITY.
SO WHILE, IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE A HEARING ON IT, I WOULD ASK THAT WE ALSO LOOK AT THE OTHER WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN BE UTILIZING TIRES IN TERMS OF DISPOSAL AND SUSTAINABILITY.
COUNCILOR ALCORN? YEAH, SAME THING.
YOU CAN DO ALL THOSE BARRIERS.
YOU CAN DO ALL KINDS OF THINGS WITH THE TIRES.
ANOTHER THING, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER, IS WE HAD, UH, MEMBERS OF THE CLEAN CITY COMMISSION COME AND PRESENT A BUNCH OF RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW THAT ORDINANCE CAN BE IMPROVED.
AND THEY WERE GOOD RECOMMENDATIONS.
JASON SMITH AND OTHERS REALLY TOOK THAT ON PROACTIVELY.
AND WE CAN GIVE YOU SOME, UM, SOME OF THEIR STUFF TOO.
JUST NEED TO VOTE FAVOR SAY YES.
THOSE OPPOSED NAME MOTION PASSES.
COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ VOTED NO.
THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
[MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS]
MEMBER JACKSON'S NOT HERE.COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN POPOFF.
AS WE ENTER OUR SECOND WEEK OF EARLY VOTING, I JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYONE TO GET OUT AND VOTE IN YOUR PRIMARIES, AND THEN ALSO WITH THE HOUSTON RODEO COMING UP AND COOKOFF THIS WEEKEND.
LAST WEEK, COUNCIL APPROVED THE FIFTH WARD TURS BUDGET, UH, AND WE JUST APPROVED THE UPPER KIRBY TURS BUDGET.
IN THESE ACTIONS REMINDED ME OF A PRESENTATION WE HEARD IN DECEMBER OF 2024, UH, BY RICE UNIVERSITY'S BAKER INSTITUTE AT THE BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, WHERE THEY SHARED THEIR RESEARCH, WHICH REVEALED THAT THE TOURIST SYSTEM REGRESSIVELY REDISTRIBUTES THE CITY'S PROPERTY TAX REVENUE IN A WAY THAT'S UNFAIR TO MANY HOUSTONIANS.
AND THAT IS NOWHERE MORE STARK THAN WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE TWO TURS THAT I MENTIONED.
BOTH OF 'EM WERE CREATED IN 1999.
SO THEY'VE BEEN EXISTENCE IN EXISTENCE FOR THE SAME PERIOD OF TIME.
UM, UPPER KIRBY TURS IS ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF SQUARE MILES SERVICE, ABOUT 20,000 PEOPLE.
I I SHOULD SAY 20,000 PEOPLE LIVE WITHIN ITS ITS BOUNDARIES.
UM, FIFTH WARD HAS ABOUT FIVE TIMES THAT AREA, AND ABOUT TWO AND A HALF TIMES ITS POPULATION BETWEEN 1999 AND 2023.
AND THIS IS RESEARCH FROM THE BAKER INSTITUTE.
AND THIS IS BEFORE YOU TOOK OFFICE MAYOR.
BUT IN, IN THAT TIME PERIOD SINCE THEY'VE BEEN IN EXISTENCE, UH, FIFTH WARD HAS RECOVERED AND SPENT ABOUT $10 MILLION.
[02:45:01]
UH, ITS, ITS TURS HAS RECOVERED AND SPENT ABOUT 10 MILLION DO DOLLARS INTO ITS, UH, INTO ITS AREA.IN THAT SAME PERIOD OF TIME, UPPER KIRBY HAS RECOVERED AND SPENT 233 MILLION AND, AND RETURNED IT TO, UH, ITS AREA.
AND, UM, THIS IS, THIS IS NOT AN EQUITABLE WAY TO DISTRIBUTE OUR TAX REVENUE.
MANY OF THEM DO TREMENDOUS WORK, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS AND SO FORTH, AND THAT'S ALL WELL AND GOOD.
BUT, UM, THE SYSTEM NEEDS SOME TWEAKS SO THAT THIS, THIS KIND OF RESULT, UH, UH, ISN'T, ISN'T SEEN.
AND MAYBE THAT COULD BE, UH, BY AMENDING THE AGREEMENTS, THE TRI-PARTY AGREEMENTS, MAYBE IT COULD BE BY, UM, CHANGING THE, UH, INCREMENT, UH, THAT IS RECOVERED FROM, FROM SOME OF THESE T UH, BUT THE, THE RESULT IS, UH, THAT, THAT TODAY ABOUT 76% OF THE REVENUE THAT'S RECOVERED WITHIN THE UPPER KIRBY TURS GOES INTO THE, UH, GOES INTO THAT TURS.
UH, BUT WE HAVE OTHER, UH, WHICH MEANS THAT 24% GOES TO THE GENERAL FUND.
WE HAVE OTHER TS LIKE NEAR NORTH SIDE AND SUNNYSIDE THAT ONLY CAPTURE ABOUT 30% OF THEIR TAX REVENUE AND PUT IT BACK INTO THEIR AREA, MEANING 70% OF THEIR TAX REVENUE GOES INTO THE, INTO THE GENERAL FUND TO FUND THINGS LIKE POLICE, FIRE, UH, STREETS AND SO FORTH.
AND, UH, WE, WE REALLY SHOULD LOOK AT CHANGING HOW THIS SYSTEM OPERATES AND I HOPE IN THE FUTURE THAT WE WILL.
YEAH, I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR PROPOSALS, UH, AS WELL AS THE KINDER BECAUSE THEY, THEY CRITICIZE IT, BUT THEY'RE SHORT ON SOLUTIONS.
THEY FAILED TO LOOK AT THE BONDED AND DEADNESS OF THE TURS.
I CAN GIVE YOU OTHER ABUSES, MIDTOWN, MIDTOWN, SITTING ON ABOUT 400 PIECES OF PROPERTY AT A VALUE OF ABOUT $50 MILLION THAT THE CITY HOUSING DEPARTMENT IS TRYING TO USE FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSES.
NOT TO MENTION THE OFFICE BUILDING THAT THEY BUILT ON EMANCIPATION USING AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUNDING.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW WE'VE GOT CHALLENGES WITH TURFS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, UH, IT'S NOT AS SIMPLE AS TURNING ON A SWITCH.
SO I'VE READ THE SAME REPORT THAT YOU'VE READ.
THEY'RE JUST SHORT ON SOLUTIONS, BUT, UH, WE, WE WON'T GIVE UP ON MAKING IT A LOT MORE EQUITABLE AND, UH, ACCOUNTABLE TO TAXPAYERS.
SO, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS.
I WAS JUST MAKING SURE I DON'T GET IN THE QUEUE.
UM, IN COMMENT AFTER COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ, UM, I WANNA REMIND EVERYONE WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF VOTING.
UM, AND DUE TO THE, UH, OFF CYCLE REDISTRICTING ON THE WEST SIDE, WE NOW HAVE FOUR CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES.
I WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU TO VISIT HARRIS VOTES.COM.
UH, VERIFY YOUR POLLING LOCATION, REVIEW YOUR SAMPLE BALLOT IN ADVANCE.
UH, YOU CAN SELECT YOUR, UH, CANDIDATES OF CHOICE AND BRING THAT DOCUMENT INTO THE POLLING LOCATIONS.
AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW, 'CAUSE I'VE RECEIVED THESE QUESTIONS.
JUST BECAUSE YOU SEE THEM ON TV DOES NOT MEAN THESE ARE, UH, YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ON THE BALLOT.
AND SO, UH, HARRIS COUNTY IS NOT, UM, UH, CHANGING YOUR BALLOT.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO BE PREPARED TO VOTE, UH, WITH INFORMATION.
UH, THANK YOU TO MAYOR PRO, TEMS TEAM, THE DISTRICT F TEAM TO ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO SENT STAFF TO JOIN US, UH, LAST WEEK AT THE APARTMENT INSPECTION TOWN HALL, NUMBER ONE.
THANK YOU MAYOR FOR JOINING US.
MAYOR WHITMEYER EVEN CAME THROUGH, UH, TO LISTEN TO OUR TENANTS AND LISTEN TO OUR OPERATORS.
UH, TALK ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON.
WE HEARD FROM HOUSTON FIRE, UM, HPD, UH, PUBLIC WORKS, DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOOD, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, AND WE REALLY HEARD FROM TENANTS AND OPERATORS ABOUT THEIR ISSUE.
SOME OF THE THINGS, UH, THAT AND, AND THE, I, I LET THE TENANT DISCUSSION, MAYOR PRO TEM LED THE OPERATOR DISCUSSION.
UH, WE HEARD ABOUT THE REAL CONDITIONS, UH, UH, TENANTS ARE, ARE LIVING IN.
AND A A, A NOTE OF HIGHLIGHT, MANY OF THEM SAID THAT THEY HAD BETTER RESPONSE FROM 3 1 1 THAN THEIR PROPERTY MANAGER.
UM, AND HOW THE, THE COMMUNICATION OF THE CITY DEPARTMENTS WERE MORE RESPONSIVE IN TERMS OF FOLLOWING UP WITH THEM.
UM, IF YOU WERE UNABLE TO JOIN US ONLINE, WE HAD HUNDREDS OF INDIVIDUALS WATCHING VIA HTV HUNDREDS OF INDIVIDUALS.
[02:50:01]
THE MEDIA, UH, FOR GETTING THIS OUT TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS.UH, JUST SOME DATA POINTS THAT I THINK WAS, IM, IM IMPORTANT.
MY OFFICE ANALYZED CLOSE TO 15 YEARS OF, UM, A RA MULTIFAMILY HABITABILITY OF FINDINGS.
I WILL TELL YOU, UM, UH, DOWN IN JAY CITY, JAY CITY HAS SOME OF THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF VIOLATIONS.
I'M MAD HE WALKED OUT WHEN I WAS SAYING THIS DURING MY POP-UP.
I WANTED TO SEE HIS FACE, UH, FOLLOWED BY DISTRICTS A AND B, ROUGHLY AT 11%.
AND THEN DISTRICT F ON THE WEST SIDE, AROUND 9%.
WE ALSO LEARNED THAT THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE MOLD INSPECTORS.
IT'S NOTHING UNIQUE TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
GREAT FEEDBACK FROM OUR DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVES.
THEY PROVIDED CONTEXT TO THE WORK THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO DO.
THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE THAT'S ON THE BOOKS.
I WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU TO JOIN US ON THURSDAY, MARCH 5TH, WE'LL BE IN DISTRICT H AT 6,300 IRVINGTON AT HARRIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
UH, WE'LL CONTINUE TO LISTEN AND, AND LEARN FROM YOU SO WE CAN GET THIS TO THE BOOKS.
WE HAVE A PROPOSED, UH, SPECIAL CALL MEETING FOR MARCH 30TH, A JOINT MEETING BETWEEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING AND EXCEPTIONAL TIME.
I REALLY LEARNED A LOT SITTING WITH THAT INFORMATION, SO HOPEFULLY YOU CAN JOIN US ONLINE AND IN PERSON.
I ALSO WANT TO, UH, THANK CONTROLLER HOLLINS FOR HOSTING AN EXCEPTIONAL BLACK HISTORY PROGRAM IN THE LEGACY ROOM.
UH, THE BLACK HISTORY PROGRAM AND THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE WAS STARTED WITH FORMER CONTROLLER RON GREEN AND CONTROLLER HOLS HAS REALLY STEPPED UP THE GAME.
IT'S BEEN EXCEPTIONAL HIGHLIGHTING TRAILBLAZERS IN OUR CITY.
UH, AND I WAS MOST APPRECIATIVE OF THE COURTESY TO, UM, ALLOW AND INVITE 40 YOUNG GENTLEMEN FROM ALE ELICK HIGH SCHOOL, THE NEXT GEN PROGRAM TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS.
MANY OF THEM NEVER LEFT THE BELTWAY AND WERE OVERWHELMED TO JUST BE DOWNTOWN IN THEIR CITY HALL AND WITH A SPECIAL SURPRISE PHOTO FROM DKO RYANS AND HIS WIFE, WHO ARE ONE OF THE HONOREES.
I WANNA THANK HIM FOR HIS CONTRIBUTION, UH, TO THE CULTURE AND TO COMMUNITY AS WELL.
UM, I'M RIDING A HORSE ON THE RODEO PARADE ON SATURDAY.
WATCH ME, UH, RIDE THE HORSE DOWNTOWN.
UM, I'M GONNA BE DRESSED FOR THE OCCASION SO YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON HTV, UH, TO DO THAT, UM, AS WELL.
UH, IF MY OFFICE CAN BE OF ANY SUPPORT TO YOU, REACH OUT TO DISTRICT F AT HOUSTON, TX DO GOV.
IS IT A H HPD HORSE? I'M RIDING A H HPD HORSE.
I HAD A SPICY HORSE LAST TIME.
UH, SHE WAS HAVING ME DOWN THE STREET.
THEY SAID, THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU RIDE A HORSE, YOUR HORSE PICK UP YOUR SPIRIT.
SO I, I THINK THAT'S, AND IT IS THE YEAR OF THE HORSE.
HAVE YOU EVER RIDDEN A HORSE? I DID THAT DAY AND I, I RODE HER THAT DAY.
AND, UM, WE'RE GONNA RIDE ONE ON SATURDAY, SO, UH, KEEP ME IN YOUR PRAYERS.
MAKE SURE THEY GIVE THAT HORSE THE RIGHT MEDICINE.
I'M, I'M GONNA SLIP THE HORSE FROM TRANQUILIZERS CALMING EFFECT COUNCIL, VICE MAYOR PROTE, CAST SIX TATUM.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ON THAT HORSE.
UH, THAT DRAINAGE PROJECT IS STILL UNDERWAY AND PROGRESSING VERY WELL.
WE'VE MET WITH CONTRACTORS AND, UM, THEY ARE DEFINITELY PREPARING THE SITE FOR CONSTRUCTION.
SO IF YOU SEE, UM, THE ACTIVITY IN, UH, CAMBRIDGE VILLAGE RAMBLEWOOD, THEY ARE, UM, SETTING UP TRAFFIC CONTROL AND OTHER SAFETY MEASURES.
SO WE ARE ON SCHEDULE FOR COMPLETION OF THAT DRAINAGE PROJECT IN THE SUMMER OF 2026.
SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, YOU CAN DEFINITELY CONTACT OUR OFFICE, OUR SUBSCRIBE TO ENGAGE HOUSTON.ORG, WHERE YOU'LL SEE THE UPDATES TAKING PLACE.
AND THEN I WANT TO, UM, LET YOU KNOW ABOUT A REALLY EXCITING EVENT THAT'S HAPPENING AT THE WALKER NEIGHBORHOOD LIBRARY.
UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS A CITY OF ENTREPRENEURS, AND I LOVE THAT THE, UH, LIBRARY IS HOSTING A WORKSHOP ENTITLED, BUILDING A SIDE HUSTLE.
IT IS AN EVENT ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH THE FOURTH FROM FOUR TO FIVE TO SUPPORT RESIDENTS WHO ARE SEEKING TO TURN THE TOOLS THEY NEED, UM, FOR ANOTHER STREAM OF INCOME.
SO IF YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT, UH, YOUR OWN BUSINESS, STARTING A BUSINESS, OR YOU HAVE A SMALL BUSINESS, UH, YOU MAY WANT TO ATTEND THAT EVENT AT THE WALKER LIBRARY ON MARCH THE FOURTH FROM FOUR TO 5:00 PM AND THEN A REMINDER THAT WE'VE RESCHEDULED THE WILLOW WATERHOLE MUSIC FESTIVAL.
AND THAT'S GOING TO BE HELD ON SATURDAY, MARCH THE 28TH FROM 11:00 AM TO EIGHT, UH, PM AT 5,300 DRYAD DRIVE, 7 7 0 3 5.
IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO VISIT THE WILLOW WATER HOLE, IT IS SUCH A GEM IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON,
[02:55:01]
BUT IT IS THE PRIDE OF DISTRICT K.SO HOPE THAT YOU WILL JOIN US AT THE MUSIC FESTIVAL ON MARCH THE 28TH.
THERE WILL BE PROFESSIONAL BANDS, FOOD TRUCKS, FUN FOR ALL AGES, BRING YOUR CHAIRS, YOUR BLANKETS, THE FAMILY, THERE'LL BE LOTS OF FUN AND FELLOWSHIP HAPPENING AT THE MUSIC FESTIVAL.
AND THEN ALSO WANT TO REITERATE, UM, ON MARCH THE FIFTH WILL BE THE SECOND OPPORTUNITY FOR, UM, TENANTS AND OWNER OPERATORS AND LANDLORDS TO COME TO OUR, UM, APARTMENT INSPECTION MEETING.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS'S TEAM AND THE DISTRICT, A TEAM HAVE BEEN WORKING FEVERISHLY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COLLECTING ALL OF THAT FEEDBACK.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO A JOINT COMMITTEE MEETING WHERE WE'LL BRING TOGETHER ALL THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE COLLECTED.
UM, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN COME UP WITH AN APARTMENT INSPECTION ORDINANCE THAT WILL BE A WIN-WIN FOR OUR TENANTS, OWNER, OPERATORS AND EVERYBODY, ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDERS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UM, LOTS OF GOOD CANDIDATES ON THE BALLOT.
I WENT TO VOTE, DIDN'T TAKE LONG, GOT RIGHT IN AND OUT.
SO I ENCOURAGE EARLY VOTING SO THAT IF ANYTHING HAPPENS ON ELECTION DAY, YOU ALREADY HAVE TAKEN CARE OF IT TO THE YOUNG FOLKS THAT ARE VISITING US.
WHEN YOU TURN 18, MAKE SURE YOU GET REGISTERED TO VOTE AND VOTE IN EVERY ELECTION.
Y'ALL BE KIND TO EACH OTHER AND MAKE IT A GREAT DAY.
UM, FIRST I WANT TO ANNOUNCE THAT OUR NEXT PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE THIS COMING MONDAY INSTEAD OF TUESDAY.
UM, BUDGET AND FISCAL AFFAIRS IS ON TUESDAY.
IT WILL BE AT 10:00 AM WE'LL HAVE TWO PRESENTATIONS.
THE FIRST ONE WILL BE FROM CHRISTINA NOAC FROM THE OFFICE OF POLICING REFORM AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
SHE WILL PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE PATH TRANSPARENCY HUB, AND OUR SECOND PRESENTATION WILL BE FROM HITS AND HPD ABOUT THE RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM UPDATE.
SO PLEASE JOIN US, UM, FOR THAT.
AND THEN NEXT I WANT TO, UM, LET MY CONSTITUENTS KNOW THE TIMELINE FOR, UM, THE BRIAR BRANCH STORMWATER DETENTION BASIN EXPANSION AND STORMWATER IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
UM, THIS IS A TR 17 PROJECT AND HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
UM, BUT THE PROJECT WILL WRAP UP IN ABOUT TWO MONTHS.
UM, STREETS WILL BE FULLY RECONSTRUCTED AND THIS PROJECT IS GOING TO, UM, REINFORCE CONCRETE BOXES TO DRAW MORE WATER AWAY FROM HOMES QUICKLY AND MITIGATE FLOW INCREASES BY DEEPENING THE DETENTION BASIN.
UH, THIS WEEK I JOINED THE HOUSTON DELEGATION IN DC TO VISIT WITH MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO DISCUSS PRIORITIES, PRIORITY ITEMS FOR OUR CITY.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU MAYOR AND YOUR TEAM FOR THE DILIGENT WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING, THE SECURE FUNDING FOR THE CITY'S NEEDS.
I ALSO WANNA THANK THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP, UH, THAT HELPED ORGANIZE THIS DC FLY IN AND SUPPORTING THE ADVOCACY EFFORTS IN DC.
UM, THIS SATURDAY, I'LL BE PARTICIPATING IN THE EAST END YOUTH LEADERSHIP ACADEMY MOCK CITY COUNCIL.
THE PROGRAM TEACHES YOUNG LEADERS HOW TO ENGAGE IN THEIR GOVERNMENT AND PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC MEETINGS BY PREPARING PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THEM.
UH, I WANT TO THANK LIZ FOR ORGANI, FOR FACILITATING THE ENGAGEMENT AND THE EAST END DISTRICT FOR HOSTING AND INVITING ME TO PARTICIPATE.
UH, I KNOW EVERYONE AROUND THE HORSE'S BEEN TALKING ABOUT EARLY VOTING.
JUST WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THIS FRIDAY IS THE LAST DAY TO EARLY VOTE.
SO MAKE A PLAN, GO OUT THERE AND VOTE.
UH, EARLY VOTINGS IS, IS ESSENTIAL.
AND THEN LASTLY, I JUST WANNA, UH, THANK, UH, MY COLLEAGUES, UH, SALINAS RAMIREZ AND CASTILLO AND, AND ALSO OUR CITY ATTORNEY, ARTUR MICHELLE, AND EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT CHIEF GOMAN, UH, FOR PARTICIPATING IN OUR COMMUNITY CONVERSATION ON IMMIGRATION, UH, THIS PAST SATURDAY.
UH, ALSO OUR HOST, THE HOEL CENTER AND THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT SHOWED UP TO SUPPORT, UH, THE COMMUNITY THAT ATTENDED.
IT WAS A PRODUCTIVE MEETING, UH, SOME FACT SHARING.
AND, UH, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO MORE OF THIS, ENSURE THAT, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, AT THE LOCAL LEVEL DOES NOT, UH, ERODE, UH, THE TRUST.
AND SO, UH, MAYOR, I WANNA JUST SAY, UH, YOU KNOW, APPRECIATE YOU MAKING SURE THAT, UH, SOME OF YOUR TEAM MEMBERS WERE THERE AS WELL.
MAYOR, AS YOU KNOW, THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY IS DIRECTLY TIED TO THE SUCCESS OF HISD.
UM, I SENT YOUR OFFICE A LETTER, UM, REGARDING THE 12 SCHOOL CLOSURES THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE DISTRICT.
WERE YOU ABLE TO RECEIVE THAT LETTER? WE DID.
AND THE SUPERINTENDENT TOLD ME HE SPOKE TO YOU AND RESPECTFULLY DECLINED.
SO YEAH, NO, I I NEVER SPOKE WITH HIM.
I, I, YEAH, MY OFFICE, HE JUST TOLD ME YOUR OFFICE, HIS OFFICE, UH, HAD AN AGREEMENT THAT HE DECLINED AT THIS TIME.
UH, I THOUGHT WE TOOK IT OFF OUR TWO DO LIST.
WELL, I NEVER SPOKE TO HIM PERSONALLY.
MY STAFF DID SPEAK WITH HIS STAFF.
AND DID HE DECLINE? I WAS TOLD THAT HE DID DECLINE.
[03:00:01]
SO, BUT WHY ARE YOU BRINGING IT UP NOW? BECAUSE THE LETTER WAS ADDRESSED TO YOU AS THE MAYOR OF, BUT YOU GOT IT ANSWERED.YOU GOT IT ANSWERED IN A TIMELY FASHION.
WHAT ELSE? YOU MAY HAVE MORE INFLUENCE ON HIM THAN I DO.
SO MY QUESTION WELL, THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE WRONG AGAIN.
OH, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY INFLUENCE.
DO YOU THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR US AS A BODY AND, AND, UH, FOR YOU AS THE MAYOR TO ASK HIM TO COME BEFORE US TO SPEAK ON THE, UH, REASONS ON WHY THIS DECISION WAS MADE? WE HAVE BROUGHT HIM BEFORE OR ASKED HIM TO COME BEFORE COUNCIL IN THE PAST.
UH, I THINK THESE QUESTIONS NEED TO BE ASKED IN A PUBLIC FORUM BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THE ELECTED BODY OF HISD HAS NO AUTHORITY.
THEY DO NOT SERVE ON THE BOARD.
AND SO RESIDENTS DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO SPEAK TO THEM DIRECTLY IN A PUBLIC FORUM.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT AS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BODY TO BE ABLE TO BRING HIM FORWARD BECAUSE THESE ARE QUESTIONS THAT ARE CONSTITUENTS ARE COMING TO US WITH AND THEY HAVE NO REAL ANSWERS.
SO I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR US TO HAVE HIM COME BEFORE THE BODY.
AND FOR YOU AS THE MAYOR, I AGREE TO, WE'RE IN AGREEMENT.
SO WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO? I WANT YOU TO ASK HIM.
I HAVE DONE THAT AND HE DECLINED.
I RESPONDED TO YOUR LETTER, YOUR OFFICE SPOKE TO HIM AND GOT A RESPECTFUL REPLY.
THE GENTLEMAN CONTROLS HIS OWN AGENDA AND HE'S RESPECTFULLY DECLINED TO BE HERE.
WELL, I NEVER GOT A RESPONSE FROM YOU, SO I DIDN'T WELL, THIS IS THE FIRST, YOU GOT THE ANSWER THAT WAS MOST MEANINGFUL.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'M HEARING FROM YOU ON THIS.
WELL, Y'ALL HAVE CALLED, YOU GOT MY NUMBER I CALL OR YOUR STAFF CALL, BUT I'M NOT GONNA DEBATE WHAT THAT GENTLEMAN'S RESPONSIBILITIES ARE WITH YOU.
WE GOT A LOT OF BUSINESS TO TEND TO.
I AGREE WITH YOU THAT IT WOULD BE VERY INFORMATIVE IF HE WOULD GO, AND I BELIEVE HE PLANS TO DO COMMUNITY OUTREACH MEETINGS, IS WHAT I'M INFORMED IS WHAT YOUR OFFICE WAS TOLD.
SO, WELL, THIS, THIS ISN'T IN ALL RESPECT, CAN WE GET BACK TO CITY BUSINESS? THIS ISN'T MEANT TO BE A DEBATE.
THESE ARE SIMPLE QUESTIONS THAT I'M ASKING YOU VERY RESPECTFULLY, BUT YOU ALREADY HAVE THE ANSWER VERY RESPECTFULLY.
SO WHEN IT'S MY TIME AND I HAVE QUESTIONS TO ASK, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU'RE BEING SO COMBATIVE REGARDING AN ISSUE THAT'S EXTREMELY PRESSING.
I'M IN A WONDERFUL MOOD THIS MORNING.
BUT I'M NOT GONNA POLITICIZE, I'M NOT GONNA POLITICIZE YOUR LETTER TO THE SUPERINTENDENT WHEN YOU'VE ALREADY GOT A GOOD ANSWER.
ONE THAT YOU DIDN'T LIKE, BUT IT'S THE ONE THAT THE MAN CONTROLS.
AND I, UM, APPRECIATED THE MEETING THAT WE HAD AT THE A LEAVE COMMUNITY CENTER WITH COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS AND MAYOR PRO TEM.
UM, I, I SAT IN ON THE, THE, WHERE I THOUGHT THE KIND OF MAYBE OPPOSITION WOULD BE ON THE, ON THE OWNER SIDE, BUT THERE, AND THERE WERE ACTUALLY SOME REALLY GOOD SUGGESTIONS MADE ON THAT SIDE.
SO APPRECIATE, UM, TALKING THAT THROUGH.
I THINK WE'RE GONNA END UP WITH SOMETHING, SOMETHING REALLY GOOD, UH, ON B AT BFA NEXT WEEK, WE'LL HAVE, UH, A FURTHER DISCUSSION.
YOU KNOW, I'M WORKING THIS OPEN SPACE ORDINANCE THROUGH COMMITTEE.
WE'LL HAVE OUR NEXT, UM, PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSION ON THAT.
SO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT ORDINANCE.
UM, WE'RE ALSO, THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE IS GOING TO HAVE AN, UH, PRESENTATION ON OUR ELECTRICITY EXPOSURE.
AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A PRESENTATION ON THE EAST WATER PURIFICATION PLANT.
I KNOW LAST WEEK WE PUT CONSIDERABLE MONEY TOWARDS THAT PLANT.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THAT PLANT.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PRESENTATION ON EVERYTHING, ALL THE MONEY THAT'S BEING SPENT, A LOT THAT WE'VE GOTTEN FROM THE STATE THROUGH THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD, UM, ON THE EAST PLANT.
SO THAT'LL BE, UH, TUESDAY, MARCH 3RD AT 10.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, HIGHLIGHT AGAIN, THE PIT COUNT IS GOING ON.
THE COALITION IS, UH, PERFORMING THAT COUNT THIS WEEK.
IF YOU HAVE NOT PARTICIPATED, I'M SURE THAT THEY'D BE HAPPY TO HAVE YOUR PARTICIPATION TOMORROW.
BUT CERTAINLY THE, THIS IS CRITICAL TO OUR COMMUNITIES AND ALSO TO, IF IN YOUR DISTRICT YOU ARE AWARE OF AN ENCAMPMENT OR, UH, YOU KNOW, HOMELESS THAT YOU THINK MIGHT NOT BE INCLUDED OR MIGHT BE TUCKED AWAY THAT ONLY YOU KNOW ABOUT BECAUSE YOU PASS THEM EVERY DAY AND YOUR NEIGHBORS.
BUT, UM, BE SURE TO REACH OUT TO THE COALITION, UM, AND, AND MAKE THEM AWARE BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT OUR COUNT IS ACCURATE, UM, ACROSS THE CITY.
I WANT TO INVITE EVERYONE TO THE NEXT DISTRICT H TOWN HALL, WHICH WILL BE IN THE EAST TEXAS JENSEN AREA.
IT'S GONNA BE AT SHADY LANE PARK THIS COMING
[03:05:01]
SATURDAY, 10:00 AM AND THERE WILL BE REPRESENTATION FROM A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, UH, ALONG WITH A PRESENTATION AROUND, UM, THINGS THAT WERE ACHIEVED AND ACCOMPLISHED LAST YEAR ALONG WITH WHAT IS PLANNED FOR NEXT YEAR.AND IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GET, UH, FACTS, INFORMATION, UM, INTERACT WITH VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS AND RESOURCES AND ALSO GET, UH, QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
THIS WILL BE THIS COMING SATURDAY, 10:00 AM SHADY LANE PARK.
UH, THIS PAST SATURDAY WE CELEBRATED CITY OF HOUSTON'S 40TH ANNUAL ARBOR DAY TREE PLANTING AT GREENWOOD PARK.
I WAS JOINED BY COUNCILWOMAN ALCORN.
UM, IN FACT, THAT'S THE SECOND ONE I'VE DONE.
WE DID ONE AT WILSON PARK TWO YEARS BEFORE, UH, PLANTED, I BELIEVE IT WAS 300 TREES.
UH, HAD A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS OUT THERE.
UH, WANTED TO GIVE A, A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO HOUSTON PARKS, APACHE CORPORATIONS, TREE LIFE FARMS, AND THE TEXAS A AND M FOREST SERVICE.
AND, UH, TOMORROW I'M GONNA BE PARTICIPATING IN THE POINT IN TIME COUNT.
UM, IN FACT, I WAS PROBABLY GONNA BE GETTING SOME INFORMATION FROM YOU COUNCILWOMAN CARTER SO I COULD KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.
UH, THEY'RE GONNA BE DOWN IN, UH, MY PART OF THE DISTRICT DOWN IN FREEWAY MANOR AND WE'VE HAD SOME PROBLEMS WITH, WITH HOMELESS THERE.
SO WE'RE GONNA TRY AND MAKE SURE WE GET AN ACCURATE COUNT OF, UH, HOW MANY ARE THERE AND WHAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM.
UM, FIRST I WANNA RECOGNIZE, I THINK I SEE, UH, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER JERRY DAVIS IN THE AUDIENCE ALWAYS LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR, OUR COLLEAGUES, UH, AND HIS AND HIS RODEO VEST.
UM, I ALSO WANNA THANK, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM KASEK TATUM AND CHAIR THOMAS FOR LEADING ON THE APARTMENT ORDINANCE HEARINGS.
AND MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR SETTING THIS UP.
UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF DISTRICT RESIDENTS THAT ARE VERY CONCERNED AND VERY EAGER.
UH, WE HAVE RELAYED TO THEM ALL THE INFORMATION WE'VE ASKED THEM TO ENGAGE, UH, AND ASSURED THEM THAT THIS ISN'T VERY GOOD HANDS.
SO REALLY THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THAT.
I ALSO WANNA THANK, UM, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF SPECIAL EVENTS IN PUBLIC WORKS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF LITTLE LEAGUE CELEBRATIONS STARTING AND FOR OUR HEIGHTS, NOR HILL LITTLE LEAGUE.
UH, THEY WEREN'T GETTING THE PERMIT BECAUSE OF TECH CONSTRUCTION NEARBY AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY COULD CELEBRATE.
UH, THANK YOU TO THE DEPARTMENTS FOR WORKING WITH US TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN HAVE THEIR CELEBRATION THIS WEEKEND, ESPECIALLY EILEEN KWAN AND DAVID WRANGLE.
UH, BUT THE ENTIRE TEAMS TURKEY GULLY PUBLIC WORKS.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE SERVED TWO TERMS WITH ME.
UM, TURKEY GULLY HAS BEEN ONE OF MY CORE INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, PROJECTS TO REDUCE FLOOD MITIGATION.
THIS IS A PROJECT THAT WILL REMOVE HUNDREDS OF HOMES AND BUSINESSES FROM VARIOUS FLOOD RISKS, UH, IN THE SHADY ACRES AREA.
IT'S A NEARLY $17 MILLION INVESTMENT.
WE HAD A COMMUNITY MEETING UPDATE, UH, ON PROGRESS.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BREAK GROUND THIS FALL.
RESIDENTS CAN, UH, LOOK AT A RECORDING OF THE MEETING ON THE HOUSTON PUBLIC'S WORK YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
APPARENTLY, I DIDN'T KNOW THIS.
HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS NOW ALSO HAS A YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
UH, SO PLEASE, PLEASE GET, UH, THE UPDATES AND INFORMATION ON THE BENEFITS OF THIS PROJECT.
AND WE APPRECIATE THE COMMUNITY WORKING WITH US WHEN IT COMES TO FLOODING.
UH, WE ALL KNOW THAT THE FEMA DRAFT FLOOD MAPS WERE RELEASED, UH, AND WE'VE HAD A LOT OF RESIDENTS REACHING OUT WITH CONCERNS WITH QUESTIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.
THERE ARE NEW AREAS BEING ADDED IN WHICH, UM, IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE ACCURATE MAPS, BUT THIS ALSO WILL HAVE A HUGE FINANCIAL IMPACT ON THESE AREAS.
ONE OF MY CONCERNS, AND I HOPE WE'LL BE WORKING THROUGH THIS, IS THAT THE MAPS ARE BASED ON 2021 DATA.
WE HAVE INVESTED A LOT IN FLOOD MITIGATION PROJECTS SINCE 2021.
AND THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY REFLECTED TO SHOW THE ACCURACY OF THIS, THESE MAPS.
SO AS THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS COME ONLINE, I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN HAVE SOME COUNCIL BRIEFINGS TO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT NOT ONLY THE PROCESS, BUT HOW WE WORK WITH BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE INCORPORATING ACCURATE INFORMATION SO THAT WE DON'T UNNECESSARILY PUT HOMES IN THAT SHOULDN'T BE THERE AND BUSINESSES IN THAT SHOULDN'T BE THERE.
I WANNA WISH, UH, JACOB MATA IN OUR OFFICE A VERY, VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOMORROW.
UH, AND WANNA WISH EVERYONE A VERY HAPPY RODEO.
WE STARTED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN.
YOU WANT TO DO IT AGAIN? WE DO HAVE ONE THAT CAME
[03:10:01]
IN.SO IF WE WANT TO DO 19 REALLY QUICKLY.