Mar 17, 2026 Council Meeting (March 17, 2026 &amp; March 18, 2026)

POSSIBILITY AND WELCOME INTERNATIONAL IN SPIRIT, BOUNDLESS IN AMBITION AND GENEROUS AT HEART.

WELL, THANK YOU EVERYBODY.

GOOD AFTERNOON, THIS

[00:10:01]

THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH.

COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.

BEFORE WE DO THE COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, BEFORE WE DO THE PHOTOS, WE DO HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER IN THE QUEUE TO ADDRESS COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN.

UH, SO I KNOW WE'RE ANXIOUS FOR THE PHOTOS, UH, BUT IF YOU CAN JUST LOOK AROUND THIS HORSESHOE AT HOW BIG WE ARE ALL SMILING RIGHT NOW.

UH, 'CAUSE WE KNOW HOW GREAT OUR GRAND OPERA IS.

UH, WE KNOW HOW GREAT HOUSTON THEATER IS AND OUR ARTS AND CULTURE IN THIS CITY, THE ECONOMIC DRIVE COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, THAT YOU SPOKE OF, THE JOBS THAT ARE CREATED, THE CELEBRATION OF THE ARTS, BUT ALSO THE IMPORTANT ROLE THAT ARTS PLAY IN HOUSTON AND IN TEXAS.

BUT TO SEE THAT RECOGNITION ON THE NATIONAL STAGE THAT WE BROUGHT, THAT Y'ALL BROUGHT HOME, I CAN'T SAY WE, Y'ALL BROUGHT HOME A GRAMMY, UH, IS INCREDIBLE AND SO WELL DESERVING.

UH, I KNOW THIS IS THE THIRD.

I KNOW WE WILL HAVE MORE TO COME, BUT I JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE HOW FAR THE OPERA HAS COME.

WE HAVE GONE THROUGH A LOT TOGETHER, UH, THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, THROUGH THE CHALLENGES MAYOR, THROUGH THE FUNDING THAT THE CITY HAS PROVIDED TO SUPPORT THE ARTS AND GET THEM THROUGH HARDSHIPS.

BUT THE TESTAMENT IS REALLY TO YOU ALL, TO THE BOARD, TO THE STAFF, TO THE MUSICIANS, TO THE SINGERS, UM, AND TO ALL OF THE STAGE HANDS, THE PEOPLE THAT WORK BEHIND THE SCENES EVERY SINGLE DAY.

UH, WE'RE JUST SO GRATEFUL FOR THE JOY THAT YOU BRING, THE EDUCATION THAT YOU BRING, BUT THE ESSENCE OF WHAT HOUSTON IS ABOUT.

SO REALLY THANK YOU ALL AND HUGE CONGRATULATIONS.

CONGRATULATIONS.

[00:16:17]

UP NEXT.

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS FOR A PROCLAMATION TO GOYA FOODS TO CELEBRATE THEIR 90TH ANNIVERSARY.

HOW YOU DOING? GREAT, GREAT.

SO I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF RECOGNIZE OF READING THE PROCLAMATION TO GOYA FOODS ON THEIR 90TH ANNIVERSARY.

SO WHEREAS ON MARCH 31ST, 2026, GOYA FOODS WILL COMMEMORATE ITS 90TH ANNIVERSARY.

WITH GOYA GIBBS DAY, A NATIONWIDE INITIATIVE DEDICATED TO SUPPORTING HUNGER RELIEF EFFORTS THROUGH THE DONATIONS OF 1 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD ACROSS 13 CITIES, INCLUDING HOUSTON.

WHEREAS IN HOUSTON, GOYA FOODS HAS PARTNERED WITH MORE THAN 30 LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO DONATE A HUNDRED THOUSAND POUNDS OF FOODS AND FAMILY TO FOOD TO FAMILIES IN NEED THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.

WHEREAS FOR NINE DECADES, GOYA FOODS, ONE OF THE LARGEST HISPANIC OWNED FOOD COMPANIES IN THE US HAS BUILT A PROUD LEGACY, ROOTED IN EXCELLENCE, HERITAGE, AND A DEDICATION TO STRENGTHENING FAMILIES, ENRICHING THE COMMUNITIES WHERE ITS CUSTOMERS LIVE AND WORK.

WHEREAS GOYA FOODS HAS HELPED GENERATIONS OF FAMILIES PREPARE AUTHENTIC MEALS THAT HONOR CULTURE, CONNECT GENERATIONS AND BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.

WHEREAS ON THIS MOMENTOUS OCCASION, THE CITY OF HOUSTON PROUDLY RECOGNIZES THE REMARKABLE IMPACT GOYA FOODS HAS MADE OVER ITS 90 U YEAR HISTORY, THROUGH ITS GENEROSITY, COMMITMENTS TO ITS ROOTS AND DEDICATION TO UPLIFTING COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT HOUSTON REGION AND ACROSS THE NATION THROUGH GOYA GIBBS DAY.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS.

AND, UM, ONE THING THAT'S ON MY MIND IS YOUR NAME BRAND.

YOUR POSITIVE NAME BRAND IS SOMETHING THAT ALL THE ELECTED OFFICIALS WOULD LIKE TO HAVE.

YOUR, YOUR NAME JUST STRIKES US ALL OF SUCCESS AND GROWTH.

AND TO RECOGNIZE 90 YEARS, JUST THANK HOUSTON WAS PROBABLY MUCH DIFFERENT.

AND SO YOU'VE TRANSITIONED TO WHERE NOW YOU'RE SUCH A NAME BRAND AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT TO EVERYONE'S ATTENTION.

SO THANK YOU.

IN YOUR EMPLOYMENT, I, I CAN'T IMAGINE THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT YOU, UH, THAT YOU HIRE, BUT REALLY JUST YOUR, YOUR PRODUCTS SPEAK TO THEMSELF AND THEREFORE, I'M JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.

UH, HEREBY PROCLAIM MARCH 31ST, 2026 IS GOLIA PEACH AND GOLIA GIVES DATE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CHARITY.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

AND WE HAVE A LITTLE GIFT FOR YOU AS WELL.

WOULD Y'ALL LIKE TO TAKE A PHOTO? I'LL BE GLAD TO SHARE THAT WITH OUR, WITH OUR STAFF.

WE GO INSIDE.

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES MAYOR WHITMEYER FOR A PROCLAMATION TO HIGHLIGHT MARCH AS PROCUREMENT MONTH.

IF, IF OUR HOMELESS CLOSED, IF OUR HOMELESS SHELTER IS OPEN, WE'RE GONNA OPEN IN

[00:20:40]

GREENFIELD, I'M LOOKING FOR YOU.

I'M HERE.

, THOUGHT YOU WERE WORKING.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND GUESTS, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

UM, THIS IS, UH, PROCUREMENT MONTH, AND, UH, I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK, UH, MR. GREENFIELD AND HIS STAFF TO KIND OF GO ABOUT THEIR DAILY CHORES AND HELP MAKE THIS GREAT CITY OPERATE.

UH, YOU KNOW, AFTER WE HAD THE, AND YOUNG RECOMMENDATIONS, HOW TO CONSOLIDATE MATTERS AND BE MORE EFFICIENT, AND, UH, YOU'RE CARRYING OUT THAT MISSION.

SO THANK YOU, JED.

I'VE ENJOYED WORKING WITH YOU, AND IT SPEAKS TO, UM, HOW VALUABLE THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS IS TO ANY OPERATION.

IT CERTAINLY THE CITY OF HOUSTON, I KNOW YOU'VE ASSUMED GREATER RESPONSIBILITY.

SO WITH THIS BEING YOUR MONTH, I WANTED TO BRING THIS PROCLAMATION, AND THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMORE, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM MARCH 26TH IS PROCUREMENT MONTH IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.

THANK YOU FOR THE JOB YOU DO.

WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE RECOGNITION.

UM, I RECOGNIZE MY EXECUTIVE STAFF HERE AND ALL OF MY TEAM WHO'S FILLING UP THE CHAMBERS HERE, BUT, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE HARD WORK THAT THEY DO.

UM, AS WE THINK OF THE IMPORTANCE OF PROCUREMENT MAYOR IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WE THINK OF POLICE AND FIRE NOT HAVING THE EQUIPMENT AND THE VEHICLES THEY NEED.

BUT FOR THESE PUBLIC, UH, SERVANTS, WE THINK OF THE LIBRARIES NOT HAVING THE TECHNOLOGY OR THE BOOKS THEY NEED, BUT FOR THESE PUBLIC SERVANTS.

UH, AND WE CAN GO THROUGH ALL THE CITY OPERATIONS AND CITY DEPARTMENTS AND, AND UNDERSTAND AND RECOGNIZE THAT BECAUSE THIS GREAT TEAM SHOWS UP EVERY DAY AND LOOKS FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO, UH, MEET THE NEEDS OF THE CITY AND THEN ALSO MAYOR UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP TO LOOK FOR THOSE EFFICIENCIES.

AND WE'RE GRATEFUL TO, UM, YOUR SUPPORT IN HELPING US IN FINDING WAYS THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE, UH, MOVE THAT NEEDLE AND BECOME A, A GREAT OPERATION IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.

SO WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT OF YOU FOR THE COUNCIL, UH, GRATEFUL FOR, UH, OUR CITY DEPARTMENT SUPPORT, UH, FOR OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT TEAM WHO WE WORK WITH VERY CLOSELY.

AND MARTIN BUSACK WITH OUR CONTRACT SECTION, UH, DIRECTOR HORDE AND OBO, UH, CERTAINLY, UH, MELISSA DSKY IN FINANCE, UH, MAYOR, AND YOU AND COUNCIL.

AND SO JUST THANK YOU FOR ALL THE SUPPORT AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO MANY GREAT YEARS COMING AHEAD WITH GREAT THINGS TO DO.

MAYOR, WE DO HAVE SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE QUEUE.

UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM.

UM, JED, MAN, YOU'VE COME A LONG WAY.

I MEAN, JED USED TO TALK TO US ABOUT DANGEROUS CHEMICALS UNDER THE MUNICIPAL SETTING, DESIGNATIONS, .

UM, BUT YOU'VE BEEN SUCH A GOOD AND LOYAL CITY EMPLOYEE, AND YOU JUST EXCEL AT EVERY POSITION YOU'VE HAD.

AND I KNOW YOU'RE TAKING ON A LOT MORE.

AND I'M SO EXCITED, MAYOR, WITH THE EY WITH THE STRATEGIC PURCHASING SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME AND WE'VE REALLY NEVER LOOKED AT PROCURING OUR GOODS MORE STRATEGICALLY AND PUTTING THINGS TOGETHER.

SO I KNOW YOU'RE RIGHT AT THE FOREFRONT OF THAT.

AND THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO AND, AND FOR THANK YOU ALL THAT ALL OF YOU.

DO, YOU KNOW, PROCUREMENT'S NOT THE SEXIEST DEPARTMENT, BUT YOU'RE, YOU'RE GETTING THE JOB DONE.

COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ.

THAT WE ARE DOING THE BEST THAT WE CAN AND TAKE A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TO RECOGNIZE A GOOD FRIEND, CARLA, WHO'S IN THE AUDIENCE, IN YOUR TEAM.

VICEMAN.

PROTE.

UH, AND I JUST WANNA ECHO SOME OF THE SAME SENTIMENTS, JED MAYOR.

UM, WHEN I GO OUT TO CIVIC CLUBS, UH, IT'S NOT THE SEXIEST THING TO TALK ABOUT, BUT WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT CENTRALIZING, YOU KNOW, THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE WHEN WE'RE RIGHT SIZING DEPARTMENTS, Y'ALL ARE AT THE LEAD OF ALL OF THAT CONVERSATION, REALLY.

UM, AND ULTIMATELY AFTER HAVING THAT CONVERSATION, RESIDENTS ACTUALLY ARE LIKE, WHOA, Y'ALL ARE REALLY TRYING TO DO BETTER FOR THE CITY.

RIGHT? SAVE THOSE DOLLARS, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING MORE EFFICIENT AS WELL.

AND SO, UM, Y'ALL DESERVE NOT JUST A MONTH, THANK Y'ALL NEED A, WE NEED TO HIGHLIGHT Y'ALL ALL YEAR LONG.

UM, BECAUSE THE WORK THAT Y'ALL HAVE BEEN DOING HAS REALLY HELPED US TO, UH, WORK TO EXHAUST ALL OPTIONS ULTIMATELY BEFORE WE START, UH, IDENTIFYING WAYS THAT WE NEED TO INCREASE THE REVENUE, RIGHT? SO, UH, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING, UM, IS, IS, IS IMPORTANT.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE, UH, THAT WE, THAT WE ARE SHOWING RESIDENTS

[00:25:01]

UH, WHEN I WAS AN INTERN AT THE DISTRICT EYE OFFICE BACK IN THE LATE NINETIES, SHE WAS A, I THINK CONSTITUENT SERVICE DIRECTOR FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBER AT THAT TIME.

SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT HER FOR A BIT.

COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, DON'T WE ASK COUNCIL MEMBER PROCUREMENT POST STAND? HE WOULD THANK Y'ALL.

COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN.

UM, MAYOR, THANK YOU AGAIN.

NORMALLY WE'RE CELEBRATING, RIGHT? WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, BUT THE FACT THAT WE ALSO GET TO RECOGNIZE THE HARD WORK OF PROCUREMENT, UM, I DON'T THINK PEOPLE FULLY IN THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND HOW CRITICAL TO GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS PROCUREMENT IS.

IT IS THE LIFELINE OF GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND TO HAVE SUCH AN IMPORTANT ROLE BEING PLAYED OUT BY SO MANY DEDICATED EMPLOYEES AT THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UM, PROCUREMENT'S TRICKY.

WE RELY ON IT, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO FOLLOW THE RULES WITH IT.

AND YOU ALL ARE SO RIGOROUS AND SO DILIGENT IN MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE, WE ARE STICKING TO THE BOOK, STICKING TO THE RULES WHILE BEING CREATIVE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN GET WHAT WE NEED DONE AND YOUR SOLUTION ORIENTED.

SO DIRECTOR, I WANNA THANK YOU.

I WANNA THANK THE ENTIRE TEAM BECAUSE WITHOUT YOU ALL, NOTHING IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAPPENS, AND WE MEAN THAT.

SO REALLY THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS.

AND MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING FORWARD THIS RECOGNITION.

SURE.

COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER.

JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING AND THE EFFORT TO TRY AND MAKE THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE AND GET THE MOST OUT OF OUR TAX DOLLARS.

UH, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT AFFORDABILITY ALL THE TIME.

THAT'S IN THE HEADLINES EVERYWHERE.

OBVIOUSLY USING THE TAX DOLLARS THAT WE GET FROM THE CITIZENS TO THE MOST EFFICIENT MANNER IS GONNA HELP WITH THAT.

SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DO.

I APPRECIATE IT.

ABSOLUTELY.

THANK YOU JED, AND TO YOUR ENTIRE TEAM.

I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DO WITHOUT YOUR TEAM.

UM, NOTHING WOULD HAPPEN AT THE CITY AS COUNCIL MEMBER HAMAN SAID.

SO REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR WHOLE TEAM AND JED, UM, ALL OVER THE YEARS, ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT I'VE ASKED YOU AND ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US OVER THE YEARS.

ALWAYS APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.

WELL, THAT'S RIGHT THERE.

VICE MAYOR PRO PECK FOR THE INVOCATION.

[2:00 P.M. - INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]

MAYOR CHAPLAIN JOHNSON, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP, PLEASE.

CHAPLAIN JOHNSON IS A SERGEANT WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND HAS SPENT THE LAST EIGHT YEARS SERVING AS THE DEPARTMENT'S CHAPLAIN.

THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER, HE HAS RECEIVED NUMEROUS AWARDS AND LETTERS OF RECOMMEND OF COMMENDATION.

CHAPLAIN JOHNSON ALSO SERVED HIS COUNTRY HONORABLY AS A UNITED STATES MARINE AND IS A COMBAT VETERAN.

HE'S A GRADUATE OF WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY AND THE UNIVERSITY OF ST.

THOMAS.

FINALLY, HE IS A SENIOR PASTOR OF MOUNT ROSE BAPTIST CHURCH, WHERE HE EXERCISES HIS GIFT IN MINISTRY AND FAITHFULLY SERVES HIS COMMUNITY.

BUT THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING THE CHAPLAIN TO HAVE THIS SWEET AND SPECIAL OCCASION.

THIS IS A DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE.

LET US REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, THANK YOU CITY COUNCIL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRAY.

I KNOW YOU COULD HAVE CONTACTED A NUMEROUS AMOUNT OF PASTORS AND PREACHERS,

[00:30:01]

NOW, CITY COUNCIL AND CITIZENS OF HOUSTON, WOULD YOU PRAY WITH ME, OUR FATHER AND OUR GOD? WE THANK YOU FOR TODAY.

WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR GRACE, AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR MERCY.

WE THANK YOU FOR THE PARTNERSHIP THAT THE CITY HAS WITH ITS CITIZENS.

NOW WE ASK THAT THIS MEETING BE HELD DECENTLY AND IN ORDER, AND WE ASK THAT ALL THAT WE DO BE FOR YOUR GLORY.

WE THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TOGETHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE CELEBRATION THAT HAS JUST TAKEN PLACE, ACKNOWLEDGING THOSE WHO DESERVE RECOGNITION.

AGAIN, LORD, WE ASK THAT YOU JUST CONTINUE TO BE IN OUR MIDST.

ALLOW YOUR PRESENCE TO BE HERE.

AND WE THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

WE THANK YOU LORD IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

IN YOUR NAME WE PRAY.

AMEN.

THANK YOU,

[ROLL CALL AND ADOPT MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING]

SECRETARY MAYOR MEYER.

PLEASURE.

COUNCIL MEMBER PECK HERE.

COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS WILL BE ABSENT.

COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO WILL BE ABSENT.

COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD.

COUNCIL MEMBER CASTEX TATUM WILL BE ABSENT.

COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ.

HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER, COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN HERE NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AMENDS OF MARCH 3RD AND FOURTH.

SECOND MOVE CAME IN SECOND.

MOTION MADE AND SECONDED.

COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS IS FIRST.

THOSE OPPOSED A MOTION PASSES.

[PUBLIC SPEAKERS]

DAVIS IS FIRST COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.

I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD TOMORROW REBELL TO THE THREE MINUTE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA.

ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES.

THOSE OPPOSED.

NAME.

JACKSON, UH, COUNCILMAN JACKSON.

I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD KATHY BLUEFORD DANIELS AT THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA LIST BEHIND MRS. BELL.

SECOND MOTIONS MADE AND SECONDED.

MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND ADD CAROL CHURCHILL TO THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE NON-AG AGENDA LIST, UH, RIGHT AFTER KATHY BLUFORD DANIELS MOTION BEEN MADE.

ALL IN ALL IN FAVOR, SAY YES.

THOSE OPPOSED NATE.

DOMINIQUE, GOOD AFTERNOON.

ANYONE ELSE? IF NOT MR. SECRETARY? LET'S CALL OUR FIRST SPEAKER BRUCE NICHOLS, TO BE FOLLOWED BY DOMINIQUE MAZO.

WHAT? DAMN.

I'M HERE TO THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNSEL FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF TUR 17 WITH THE APPOINTMENT AND REAPPOINTMENT OF BOARD MEMBERS THIS WEEK AS A HOMEOWNER LIVING IN FROST WOODS SUBDIVISION ADJACENT TO TUR 17, WE SEE IT AS A FORCE FOR GOOD IN THE MEMORIAL CITY, CITY CENTER AREA OF WEST HOUSTON.

WITH THE SUPERVISION AND SUPPORT OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TUR 17 HAS FUELED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITHIN ITS BOUNDARIES WHILE PROTECTING THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND IT.

IT IS PLANNED AND FINANCED IMPORTANT COMMERCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, HELPING TO MAKE OUR AREA ONE OF HOUSTON'S MOST CONVENIENT FOR SHOPPING, MEDICAL CARE, RESTAURANT, AND OTHER SERVICES.

IT HAS DEVELOPED AND CONTINUES TO DEVELOP STORM WATER DRAINAGE AND DETENTION PROJECTS THAT REDUCE THE RISK OF FLOODING IN AND AROUND TOUR 17.

AND NOW IT IS FUNDING A COMBINED PUBLIC SAFETY CENTER AND DETENTION PROJECT THAT WILL IMPROVE FIRE AND POLICE PROTECTION.

MM-HMM WHILE FURTHER MITIGATING FLOOD RISK.

I WANT TO SALUTE RETIRING BOARD MEMBERS, DAVE DURHAM, BRAD FRIS, DAN MOODY, AND JOHN RLE FOR THEIR YEARS OF SERVICE HELPING TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITY.

WE WELCOME NEW BOARD MEMBERS, ALEX MAA, MARLON TRUJILLO, BEN LAC, PETE TO , AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING, SUPPORTING THEM AND THE REST OF THE BOARD IN CONTINUED GOOD WORKS WITH THE REAPPOINTMENT OF THE VERY EFFECTIVE ANN GIVENS AS CHAIR AND PUBLIC SPIRIT TO ZACH HODGES AND ANDY IVERSON.

AS CONTINUING BOARD MEMBERS, WE SEE A BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD FOR OUR AREA.

THANK

[00:35:01]

YOU.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

I WANT TO HASTEN TO SAY YOU'VE HAD SOME GREAT, UH, COUNCIL REPRESENTATION, COUNCILMAN PECK, COUNCILOR HUFFMAN, AND OUR AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS.

UH, WE RECOGNIZE WHAT A VIBRANT COMMUNITY THAT, UH, THAT THEY SERVE FROM.

AND IT'S REALLY A LOT OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT SUCH AS YOURSELF.

SO THANK YOU FOR COMING AND THE FEEDBACK'S ALWAYS WELCOME.

COUNCIL MEMBER PECK.

THANK YOU MAYOR BRUCE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN, UM, FOR YOUR COMMENTS TODAY.

WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING INVOLVED IN AND SUPPORTIVE OF ALL THE PROJECTS THAT TOUR 17 IS WORKING ON TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY.

COUNCILOR HUFFMAN.

THANK YOU MR. NICHOLS FOR COMING.

YOU KNOW, TOUR 17 REALLY HAS DONE SOME INCREDIBLE PROJECTS OVER THE YEARS AND WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE ANY OF IT WITHOUT OUR INCREDIBLE BOARD.

AND SO WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE ALL THE HOURS, UM, ALL OF THESE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE SERVED MAKING SURE THAT JUROR 17 IS, YOU KNOW, DOING WHAT IT INTENDED TO DO.

WE ALSO APPRECIATE YOUR INVOLVEMENT ALSO, EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE NOT ON THE BOARD, YOU TECHNICALLY ARE.

I MEAN, YOU ARE A PSEUDO BOARD MEMBER WHO ATTENDS ALL THE MEETINGS AND IS A GREAT PARTICIPANT.

SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HARD WORK TOO.

AND WE CONTINUE TO DO GOOD THINGS IN TURN 17.

WELL, THEY DO THE WORK.

UH, I JUST RUN MY MOUTH.

NEXT DOMINIQUE MAZO TO BE FOLLOWED BY MARCY INGER.

UM, I'M DOMINIC MAY.

I'M HERE AT CITY HALL.

THERE IS A POLITICAL STRATEGY SPECIFICALLY FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS REFERRED TO AS A MANUFACTURED INEVITABILITY.

UM, ONE THING I DO WANNA MENTION TODAY, I THINK WE GOT SOMETHING MARCH 17TH IN THE WESTERN CATHOLIC CHURCH AT ST.

PATRICK'S DAY.

SO I WORE IT COLORS FOR TODAY.

THE VIOLET IS FOR LINT AND THE LITURGICAL COLORS FOR ST.

PATRICK IS NOT GREEN.

IT'S WHITE.

ANYWAY, GETTING BACK TO HOW I GOT HERE IS THAT I TOOK THE 96 TO THE RED LINE AND I WALKED, GOT OFF, AND I HAD TO GO THROUGH THE PROMENADE, WHICH I'M FOR, I'M FOR THE PROMENADE.

WE NEED THIS SORT OF PEDESTRIAN DEVELOPMENT DOWNTOWN.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY TO GET THERE.

UH, AND SO ON.

HOWEVER, THERE'S TWO CONCERNS I HAVE ABOUT IT IN THE SENSE OF IT'S GOING TO BE A HOMELESS MAGNET.

AND, UM, I'VE BEEN TALKING TO METRO PD.

UH, THEY, THEY SEE WHAT I'M SAYING.

IN FACT, I SEE A PROBLEM ON METRO.

I GOT, UH, CHIEF'S, UH, TNS PHONE NUMBER.

I WAS GONNA TELL 'EM JASON, I TEXT THEM AND WORK WITH THEM IMMEDIATELY.

SO I'M COLLABORATING.

SECOND OF ALL, UH, I THINK THERE MIGHT BE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT AND THE HOUSTON FOREST CORPORATION MAYBE TO PUT OUT SOME MONEY TO HAVE BETTER ENFORCEMENT IN THIS ZONE.

AND LASTLY, IT'S HOW THIS THING DEVELOPED IS WHAT CONCERNS ME.

WE HAVE TWO ENTITIES IN HERE.

WE HAVE THE, THE PROBLEM THAT, BUT IN THE MIDDLE YOU HAVE THE METRO RED LINE.

WHEN THAT WAS PUT IN, THAT WAS A MAJOR CONTROVERSY ABOUT THE RED LINE.

AND THERE WAS A THING IN THAT WAS PUT INTO THE CHARTER CITY CHARTER.

IF METRO WAS GONNA PUT IN A MAJOR OPERATION LIKE THAT, IT HAD TO GO FOR THE VOTERS ON A REFERENDUM.

AND EVER SINCE WHEN THEY'VE HAD OTHER REFERENDA WHERE THERE'S A POSSIBILITY OF, OF USING MAJOR CHANGES TO CITY ROUTE OF WAY, THAT BIDEN ELECTION ALSO FULFILLS THE CITY CHARTER.

BUT HERE'S THE THING, METRO HAS TO HAVE AN ELECTION TO GET THEIR, GET THEIR LINE IN.

BUT AN ENTITY COMES IN AND THEY'RE CHANGING THE ENVIRONMENT OF DOWNTOWN AND THERE'S NO VOTE.

REMEMBER MAIN STREET AND THESE SIDE STREETS BELONG TO THE CITY.

WHO ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THE CITY.

SO I REALLY THINK HERE ON, OUT TO MAKE IT FAIR FOR ALL ENTITIES INVOLVED.

AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT SOMEBODY COMING IN AND PUTTING IN TREES OR, YOU KNOW, SOME NICE PARK BENCHES OR PLANT SOME TREES.

I'M TALKING ABOUT MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS ON CITY RIGHT OF WAY.

BUT IT'S NOT THE CITY ITSELF.

I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE AN ELECTION ON IT THEN, BECAUSE TWO, I'LL FINISH BECAUSE TWO, THIS NOT AFFECTS.

THIS DOWNTOWN AFFECTS RIDERS, AFFECTS EVERYBODY DOWNTOWN.

SO WITH THAT, I SHALL BE PART, UNLESS SOMEBODY'S GOT A QUESTION.

MARCY INGER TO BE FOLLOWED BY LISA HUNT.

GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS MARCY INGER.

[00:40:01]

IT IS WHEN INCREMENTAL APPROVALS AND FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS ARE PUSHED FORWARD IN A WAY THAT MAKES A PROJECT FEEL INEVITABLE, EVEN WHEN KEY REQUIREMENTS, SAFEGUARDS, OR PROMISES HAVE NOT YET BEEN FULFILLED.

IN OTHER WORDS, IT PUTS THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE AND IT PRESSURES DECISION MAKERS AND THE PUBLIC TO ACCEPT SOMETHING AS A DONE DEAL.

SOUND FAMILIAR? FOR THE PAST 13 MONTHS, PEOPLE FOR POLL HAS BEEN SHOWING UP CONSISTENTLY, RESPECTFULLY, AND WITH SPECIFIC CONCERNS.

WE HAVE ENGAGED IN GOOD FAITH AROUND THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING, BELIEVING THAT IT COULD RESULT IN REAL MEASURABLE IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE COMMUNITY.

BUT THAT IMPLEMENTATION HAS NOT YET MATERIALIZED.

AND YET DESPITE THESE GAPS, YOU ARE BEING ASKED TO MOVE FORWARD AGAIN WITH FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS TIED TO A LARGER STRATEGY THAT REMAINS MURKY AND A PROCESS THAT IS NOT FOLLOWING THE CITY'S OWN RULES.

THIS IS HOW A FATE, A COMPLETE TAKES SHAPE, STEP-BY-STEP DECISION BY DECISION.

UNTIL THE ABILITY TO MEANINGFULLY QUESTION THE PROJECT IS EFFECTIVELY GONE.

THIS IS NOT JUST A PROCESS CONCERN, IT'S A TRUST ISSUE.

WHEN THE COMMUNITY IS TOLD THAT THERE ARE PROTECTIONS AND MITIGATIONS AND THEN DECISIONS MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT THOSE IN PLACE, IT UNDERMINES CONFIDENCE IN THE ENTIRE PROCESS.

WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR PERFECTION.

WE ARE, HOWEVER, ASKING FOR SEQUENCING THAT MAKES SENSE.

WE ARE ASKING FOR MOBILITY.

WE ARE ASKING FOR SAFETY.

SHOW THE VOTERS THAT THIS PROCESS WORKS, DEMONSTRATE THAT THE PROMISED MITIGATIONS TO MOBILITY AND SAFETY DO FUNCTION AS PROMISED, THEN COME BACK AND ASK FOR THESE APPROVALS.

UNTIL THEN, MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS PREMATURE COMMITMENT OF RESOURCES, PLACES FINANCIAL AND STRUCTURAL COMMITMENTS AHEAD OF VOTERS, PLEASE WILL YOU CHECK INTO THIS PROCESS.

CONFIRM THAT THE STEPS ARE LOGICAL AND LEGAL AND RESPECTFUL TO THE BO VOTERS THAT CALL THIS CITY HOME.

PUT HOUSTONIANS FIRST.

LISA HUNT TO BE FOLLOWED BY RANDALL CALLAN.

OKAY, GOOD AFTERNOON.

I'M LISA HUNT WITH PEOPLE FOR POLK, AND I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO KEEP YOUR COMMITMENTS.

YOU'RE BEING ASKED TO ENTER INTO AN INTERNAL, UM, INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATION AND TDOT.

THEY, ALONG WITH HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, HAVE BEEN MEETING FOR MONTHS TO ADJUST THE DESIGN OF STREETS AND HIGHWAY EXITS TO CREATE A COORDINATED PLAN.

THE PUBLIC HAS YET TO BE INFORMED OF THESE DESIGN CHANGES.

IN SPITE OF YOUR APPROVAL OF A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING, NONE OF THE PARTIES HAS IMPLEMENTED ITS STIPULATIONS.

THERE'S BEEN NO SHARING OF DETOURS, TIMELINES AND ALTERNATIVE MULTIMODAL DESIGN FOR LELAND STREET AND NO COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS OF A CITIZENS ADVISORY GROUP.

THERE IS A SERIOUS LACK OF COORDINATION IN THE DESIGN WORK ON THE GRB.

WHILE HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATION HAS TIMELINES FOR CONSTRUCTION, THEY HAVE NOT MADE THESE PUBLIC.

PEOPLE FOR POLK ANTICIPATES THAT YOU WILL VOTE TOMORROW TO APPROVE THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT.

WE ASK THAT WHEN THE FINAL VOTE OF THE GRC PROCESS COMES TO YOUR AGENDA, YOU VOTE TO REVISE THE MOU SO THAT IT HAS TEETH.

ENSURING THERE WILL BE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND SHOWING THAT YOU CAN KEEP YOUR COMMITMENTS PUT.

HOUSTONIANS FIRST COUNCIL, MR. SALINAS, FIRST OFF, THANK YOU FOR COMING TO SPEAK AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY ON THIS ISSUE.

IT IS IMPORTANT AND IT'S MADE A DIFFERENCE.

I WANNA I WANNA ASK YOU, IS THERE ANY OTHER SPECIFIC STEPS YOU WOULD LIKE THIS COUNCIL TO TAKE? I THINK ONE OF OUR BIGGEST CONCERNS IS THERE SEEMS TO BE A LACK OF COORDINATION BETWEEN TXDOT HOUSTON FIRST AND THE CITY.

WE'VE YET TO BE ABLE TO GET CLARITY ON THE CHANGES IN THE EXITS OFF OF THE PROPOSED 45

[00:45:01]

EXTENSION.

AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE VISION OF THE IMPACTS INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAVE NOT BEEN FULLY ASSESSED.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE CONTRACT FOR LELAND HAS BEEN, UH, LED, UH, TO WALTER P. MOORE, UH, BY HOUSTON FIRST.

AND IT'S NOT CLEAR HOW THAT, UM, CONTRACT WHO, WHO IS THE CLIENT FOR THAT AND HOW THE PUBLIC WILL BE MADE AWARE OF THE PROGRESS ON THE ALTERNATIVE OF LELAND STREET.

WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT'S GOING TO BE A YEAR IN THE ING AT LEAST.

UH, SO WE ARE GOING TO BE, UM, WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE STATUS OF LELAND AND HOW THAT UNFOLDS.

DO YOU BELIEVE WE NEED TO GET ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS BEFORE WE PROCEED ON THIS AGREEMENT? I DO.

THEN I WILL WORK WITH YOU TO GET ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ.

HEY, UH, LISA, JUST, UH, SOME CLARITY 'CAUSE UH, WALTER P. MOORE HAS BEEN GIVEN, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE DESIGN.

AND I THINK THAT WAS THE LAST UPDATE THAT I SHARED WITH THIS SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.

I WANNA SAY ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO, THREE MONTHS AGO.

UM, UNTIL THEN, THERE REALLY ISN'T ANYTHING BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T MET ANY 30%, 60% DESIGN TO COME BACK TO COMMUNITY.

I'M STILL COMMITTED TO CONTINUING TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION.

SO, UM, QUITE FRANKLY, UM, WE DO HAVE, WE STILL HAVE TIME TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS.

UM, AND SO MY HOPE IS THAT, UH, YOU CONTINUE TO REACH OUT TO OUR OFFICE FOR ANY OTHER CHANGES THAT YOU THINK MIGHT BE HAPPENING.

THE DETOURS, WE HAVE BEEN HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH TXDOT, WHICH IS A LARGER PROJECT THAN THE POLK OR GEORGE R. BROWN CONVENTION.

AND SO THOSE, THOSE STREET CLOSURES ARE REALLY MAJORITY TEXDOT, UM, STREET CLOSURES.

AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE CAN GET THEM TO OPEN UP A BIT MORE ABOUT WHEN THEY'RE GONNA BE CLOSING IN, IN UNANTICIPATED CLOSURES.

I WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND THAT YOU REACH OUT TO YOUR STATE REP AND YOUR STATE, UH, SENATOR FOR SOME OF THAT INFORMATION FROM TXDOT.

WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN WITHIN OUR CAPACITY.

UH, BUT AGAIN, I THINK THE, SOME OF THE CONFUSION IS THAT, UH, THERE'S LAYERED UPON LAYERED OF, OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS.

UH, THEN YOU ALSO HAVE THE, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, THE, THE 80 STREETS THAT WE'RE MILLING AND OVERLAYING AS WELL INSIDE OF DOWNTOWN.

SO, UH, WE'VE BEEN SHARING A LOT OF THAT INFORMATION ALREADY ON, ON, ON, UH, ON, YOU KNOW, UH, FROM OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES, BUT ALSO EMAILS.

UH, WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

BUT IF THERE'S SOMETHING SPECIFIC, A SPECIFIC CLOSURE THAT YOU HAVE SEEN THAT HAS NOT BEEN SHARED, LET ME KNOW AND THEN WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT TECH STOCK CAN BEGIN TO SHARE THAT MORE FREQUENTLY AS WELL.

WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, COUNCIL MEMBER, I THINK THAT THE LACK, I THINK THERE IS A LACK OF COORDINATION BETWEEN TXDOT AND THE CITY, AND I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU ABOUT HOW COMPLEX THIS PROJECT IS.

MY CONCERN IS THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ONE POINT OF CONTACT TO BE ABLE TO CONVEY THAT INFORMATION FROM PUBLIC WORKS WITH THE CITY.

AND I THINK THIS, UM, PROJECT AFFECTS ALL OF HOUSTONIANS, NOT JUST THOSE IN DISTRICT.

I CORRECT.

SO I, I'M WONDERING WHAT A COMMUNICATIONS TOOL COULD LOOK LIKE BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA BE LIVING WITH THIS REALITY FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT DECADE.

AS, UM, 45, UM, GETS RECONFIGURED.

SO I THINK IT'S WORTH TIME AND INVESTMENT RIGHT NOW IN COMMUNICATION BECAUSE AS MY COLLEAGUE SAID, TRUST IS, UM, PRECIOUS.

UM, AND IT'S BEEN HAMMERED, UM, AS WE'VE BEEN IN THIS DESIGN PROCESS.

SO WE'VE BEEN SHARING OUTTA MY OFFICE, UH, QUITE FRANKLY, UM, WHENEVER WE GET ANYTHING CHANGED OUT OF TDO, THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER MONSTER THAT WE'RE HAVING TO ADDRESS.

UM, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION.

WHAT THEY'VE TOLD US IS GO THROUGH THEIR WEBSITE AND THAT'S WHERE EVERYTHING'S AT.

UH, SO WE'RE FUNNELING AS MUCH AS WE CAN WITHIN MY OFFICE.

IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU SEE THAT IS CLOSED THAT YOU DON'T THINK SHOULD BE CLOSED BECAUSE IT WASN'T SHARED, SHARE THAT WITH US AND THEN LET US HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH TEXT LOT AS WELL.

AND AGAIN, COUNCIL MEMBER, I THINK IT'S A CITYWIDE ISSUE AND NOT JUST DISTRICT I, I I GET IT, BUT I BEAR A LOT OF THAT RESPONSIBILITY.

I UNDERSTAND IT'S IN DISTRICT I, AND SO I WILL CARRY IT AS MUCH AS I CAN, BUT I, I AGREE WITH YOU.

THIS IS A CITYWIDE PROJECT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 45, YOU KNOW, HAVING TO BE, UH, RECONFIGURED THE WAY IT IS, IT IMPACTS, UH, EASTWOOD EAST DOWNTOWN, SPECIFICALLY DOWNTOWN RESIDENCE, WHICH IS IN DISTRICT I.

AND SO I WILL BEAR THAT RESPONSIBILITY AND SO I WILL DO MY BEST TO CARRY THAT BURDEN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

AND SO THAT'S WHY I ASK YOU TO LET ME KNOW WHENEVER THERE IS ANY MISCOMMUNICATION OR MISUNDERSTANDING AND, AND THEN WE CAN GO AHEAD AND SPEAK, SPEAK TO THE COMMUNITY THE WAY WE CAN.

UH, BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO WHAT WE CAN WITHIN OUR CAPACITY, IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SHARE AS WELL.

WELL, AND I GUESS I'M JUST SUGGESTING ALSO THAT WE NEED AN OVERARCHING SENSE OF WHAT THE PROJECT IS AND THE STAGING.

UM, AND THAT'S NOT JUST ONE CLOSURE, BUT IT'S THE OVERARCHING PLAN OF THE DESIGN AND WE KNOW THAT THOSE TIMETABLES EXIST, COUNCIL MEMBER, WE JUST NEED TO KNOW WHEN.

SO WHAT'S ENVISIONED? UM, I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORT.

OF THESE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS AS WELL.

THE LAST MEETING THAT I HAD ATTEND, THAT I HAD ATTENDED, UM, TEXT OUT WAS THERE.

UM, I SHARED A LOT OF THE GEORGIA BROWN EXPANSION, UH, CONSTRUCTION, AND THEN EVEN A LITTLE BIT OF THE MILL OVERLAY, BUT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT TEXT OUT IS AT MORE

[00:50:01]

THANK YOU, SIR.

YEAH, YOU'RE WELCOME.

IT VIOLATES THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION.

NEXT RANDALL CALLANAN TO BE FOLLOWED BY JEFF REESE.

GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS AND, UH, MAYOR WHITMEYER.

I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THE CLOSING OF THE HPD COMMUNITY AFFAIRS DIVISION.

UM, I'M HERE ALSO WITH, UH, LULAC NAACP, MEMBERS OF VARIOUS, UH, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WHO, UM, ARE VERY CONCERNED.

AND, UH, JOHNNY MATA OF LULAC AND THE GI FORUM URGED US TO BE HERE.

BUT HE IS ILL.

AND UNLIKE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE, HE COULD NOT MAKE IT, BUT HE WISHES THAT YOU ALL WILL LISTEN TO US, UH, ON HIS BEHALF.

UH, THE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS DIVISION IN CITIES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES IS USED TO GET WHAT THE COMMUNITY, THE COMMUNITY, MANY COMMUNITIES OFTEN DON'T TRUST THE POLICE, AND AS A RESULT, CRIMES AREN'T REPORTED.

AND THAT'S, UH, AND UH, ALSO, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES, WHICH IN HOUSTON IS A LOT, THOSE INDIVIDUALS DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE POLICIES REGARDING THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, FOR EXAMPLE.

SO IF AN IMMIGRANT WERE TO TRY TO REPORT A CRIME AGAINST A HOUSTONIAN, I SAW A CRIME AGAINST A HOUSTONIAN IN RIVER OAKS, WILL THEY GO TO THE POLICE AND SAY, I SAW THAT CRIME AGAINST THAT RIVER OAKS HOUSTONIAN.

OR WILL THEY SAY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE POLICY IS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING.

I CAN SEE ON THE NEWS THAT 17 INDIVIDUALS WERE HAND DELIVERED TO ICE BY THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHICH AS A CIVIL RIGHTS LAWYER, IS AGAINST THE SUPREME COURT CASE OF RODRIGUEZ VERSUS THE UNITED STATES.

AN ICE WARRANT IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANT NOT PUT OUT BY A COURT.

IT IS NOT EVIDENCE OF A CRIME.

MANY, UH, COURTS HAVE ALREADY DETERMINED THIS.

SO WHEN A HOUSTON POLICE OFFICER HOLDS ONTO A PERSON BECAUSE THEY HAVE AN ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANT, THAT'S NOT EVIDENCE OF A CRIME THAT VIOLATES THE FOURTH AMENDMENT.

I MAKE MY MONEY SUING GOVERNMENTS AND I, IF SOMEONE COMES TO ME AND SAY, HEY, HBD HELD ME FOR ICE, WHAT AM I GONNA DO? SAY, I DON'T NEED NO ANY MORE MONEY.

I DON'T WANNA HELP THE PEOPLE.

THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M GONNA SAY.

NOW, I HAVE NO CLIENT NOW, BUT APPARENTLY THERE'S 17 OUT THERE WHO, IF THEY CATCH WIND OF IT MIGHT CALL ME UP OR ONE OF THE OTHER CIVIL RIGHTS LAWYERS IN TOWN.

SO THERE IS MONETARY PROBLEMS AND MONETARY CONCERNS WITH PICKING UP PEOPLE AND DELIVERING 'EM TO ICE, OR EVEN HOLDING THEM FOR ICE FOR 30 MINUTES.

AND YOU CAN SUE IN FEDERAL COURT UNDER 42 USC SECTION 1983.

YOUR TIME HAS COUNCIL CAYMAN.

UM, RANDALL, I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR COMING.

I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF SPEAKERS, SO I'M JUST GONNA SPEAK TO YOU WHILE RECOGNIZING I'M SPEAKING TO, UH, EVERYONE THAT IS COMING BEFORE US AND THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE DEEP ROOTS IN PROTECTING THE CIVIL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES OF PEOPLE IN THIS NATION.

UM, WE'RE LISTENING TODAY, WE HEAR YOU, BUT I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOICE.

UH, AND I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR THE SUPPORT OF ALSO, IN FACT, HPD, BECAUSE ONE THING THAT HOUSTON DOES RIGHT, IS THINGS LIKE SETTING UP WHAT WAS HISTORIC AT THE TIME, THE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS DIVISION, AND BUILDING BRIDGES WITHIN COMMUNITIES TO BUILD THAT TRUST.

SO I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TODAY, FOR SPENDING TIME WHEN YOU COULD BE ELSEWHERE.

UH, BUT I WANNA EMPHASIZE, AGAIN, AS A BODY, MANY OF US ARE LISTENING TODAY AND WE APPRECIATE, UH, I THINK YOU'VE HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD WITH A LOT OF LEGAL PRECEDENT, UH, RELATED TO MULTIPLE ISSUES THAT AS A CITY, AS CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE GRAPPLING WITH, RIGHT? VERY, UH, CRITICAL, UH, LEGAL JURISPRUDENCE THAT WE NEED TO BE DISCUSSING RIGHT NOW.

AND WE NEED TO BE DISCUSSING OPENLY RIGHT NOW.

BUT I, I DID WANNA THANK AND RECOGNIZE ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE HERE TODAY TO USE YOUR VOICE TO SPEAK OUT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHIBA.

AND HELPING THEM TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THE PROCESS.

AND THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY.

OF COURSE, I CAN START OUT SAYING THAT I CERTAINLY SUPPORT HPD COMMUNITY AFFAIRS DIVISION, UM, IN DISTRICT D.

THEY'VE BEEN VERY, VERY HELPFUL IN BEING ABLE TO TALK TO OUR CITIZENS

[00:55:01]

BUT I WANNA JUST ASK YOU A QUESTION.

YOU SAID, AS A CIVIL RIGHTS LAWYER THAT 30 MINUTES IS A VIOLATION OF THE CONSTITUTION.

MM-HMM .

IS THERE, UM, A TIME LIMIT IN TERMS OF SAYING HOW MANY MINUTES? OR, OR IS IT JUST WHENEVER YOU COMPLETE THE STOP YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO RELEASE? I JUST WANNA KNOW WHAT THE, WHAT THE LEGAL STANDING IS REGARDING THAT.

SO WHEN YOU HAVE FINISHED THE BUSINESS WITH A STOP, SUCH AS HANDING OUT A TICKET, THEN YOU HAVE NO MORE REASONABLE SUSPICION TO MAIN, UH, RETAIN ANYBODY.

SO I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT ANY LENGTH OF TIME IS, UH, PROPER.

RIGHT.

SO YOU JUST CAN'T SAY A LENGTH OF TIME, YOU JUST, WHEN THE BUSINESS IS COMPLETED, YEAH, IT SHOULD BE COMPLETED.

AND THEN REASONABLE SUSPICION HAS GONE AWAY.

YOU'RE DONE WITH YOUR BUSINESS, YOU, YOU GOTTA LET 'EM GO.

NEXT, JEFF REESE TO BE FOLLOWED BY NICHOLAS LITTLE.

HI.

UM, MY NAME IS JEFF RIES.

I APPRECIATE YOU, UH, HEARING ME.

I'M, I'M NOT HERE TO ACCUSE ANYBODY POINT FINGERS AND SAY, HEY, SOMEBODY'S DOING SOMETHING WRONG.

I'D MUCH RATHER FOCUS ON A SOLUTION.

AND I THINK WE ALL HAVE THE SAME SOLUTION.

IF WE, WE CHANGE OUR PERSPECTIVE.

I MEAN, WE HAVE CONSERVATIVES AND WE HAVE LIBERALS, WE HAVE WHITE, BLACK, BROWN, BUT EVERYBODY WANTS THE SAME THING.

WE ALL DO.

AND FOR ME, THE PROBLEM AGAIN, DEALS WITH MONEY.

IT'S A MONETARY ISSUE.

WHEN YOU DEAL WITH THE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS DIVISION, I WAS WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT FOR 26 YEARS.

I TAUGHT CRISIS INTERVENTION.

I WAS MENTAL HEALTH OFFICER.

SO MAYBE MY SANITY'S NOT ALL, ALL THERE, BUT IN A FEW SECONDS I HAVE LEFT, I'D LIKE TO CHANGE PEOPLE'S PERSPECTIVE.

SO YOU FOCUS ON WHAT'S THE SOLUTION IS NOT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.

BUT BEFORE YOU FOCUS ON THE SOLUTION, YOU REALLY HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM.

AND THE PROBLEM WITH THE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS DIVISION, UM, WE TOOK AN OATH AS A POLICE OFFICER TO THE CONSTITUTION, BUT WE ALSO SWORE TO PROTECT AND SERVE THE PUBLIC.

SO THERE'S, IT GOES HAND IN HAND.

HOW MANY CRIMES WERE SOLVED FROM THE PUBLIC, INTERACTING WITH A POLICE OFFICER IN A MEETING AND SAYING, OH, BY THE WAY, I SAW SOMETHING LAST WEEK.

YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO SEE SOMETHING AND SAY SOMETHING, BUT THE WRONG MESSAGE IS GETTING OUT NOW.

THEY'RE NOT UNDERSTANDING THIS IS A BUDGETARY ITEM AND THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE THE SAME THING, BUT DOING IT WITH LESS MONEY, THAT'S WHAT LAW ENFORCEMENT'S ALL ABOUT.

OKAY, SO THE ISSUE IS, AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THE ICE PROBLEM, THE SAME THING.

IT, IT WOULD SAVE MONEY TO DISASSOCIATE FROM ICE.

IT WOULD SAVE MONEY, IT WOULD SAVE OFFICERS TIME ON THE STREET.

AND WHAT ABOUT EVEN THINKING ABOUT USING CIVILIANS AS LIKE PIOS? I THINK CHANNEL TWO, I'LL GIVE THEM CREDIT, SHE BROUGHT IT UP.

WHAT ABOUT USING LESS COST EFFECTIVE METHODS TO INTERACT WITH THE PUBLIC IN THAT, IN THAT RESPECT.

BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, NO ONE WANTS TO GET OUT HERE AND GO GET MURDERED WHEN THEY LEAVE HERE.

NO ONE WANTS TO GET ROBBED.

NO ONE THINKS THAT A MURDERER SHOULD GO FREE.

RIGHT? I DON'T CARE WHAT SIDE OF THE SPECTRUM YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF, YOU KNOW, REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT, THE ISSUE IS NOT PARTISAN.

IT'S NOT ABOUT WHO YOU, WHAT PARTY YOU REPRESENT.

IT'S REPRESENTING THE PEOPLE.

AND I THINK IF WE ALL HAVE THE SAME GOAL, IT WOULD BE MUCH EASIER TO ACHIEVE.

AND BEFORE I FORGET, MAYOR, THERE'S A, A MUTUAL FRIEND NAMED BARRY KLEIN THAT'S IN BEN TA.

I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT BEFORE I FORGET.

MY BRAIN IS NOT THAT LARGE, SO I'M SORRY.

I APOLOGIZE.

SO ANYWAY, WHAT I, WHAT I LEARNED, I GUESS IN, IN TEACHING POLICE OFFICERS, THEY HAVE THE, YOU KNOW, ATTENTION SPAN OF A, A TODDLER, YOU KNOW, AND PROBABLY INTELLIGENCE LEVEL OF A BAG OF HAIR, NOT PRESENT COMPANY, NOT EXCLUDED.

BUT TO BE ABLE TO TEACH SOMEBODY AND SHOW THEM WHAT TO DO, IT'S NOT AN EASY THING.

AND I KNOW I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO DO THIS IN TWO MINUTES, BUT I THOUGHT I'D JUST THROW THIS OUT HERE.

AND, UH, I MENTIONED BEFORE THIS WHAT'S CALLED THE INVISIBLE GORILLA TEST.

AND PSYCHOLOGISTS WILL TAKE THEIR STUDENTS AND SHOW 'EM A FILM.

AND IN THIS FILM IT'S LIKE A BASKETBALL GAME'S GOING ON.

OKAY, WELL SEE YOU THERE.

YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.

THEY'RE MUTUALLY REINFORCING STRATEGIES.

ALRIGHT.

FINISH YOUR COMMENTS.

OH, THANK YOU.

SO IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO KNOW WHAT THE INVISIBLE GORILLA TEST WAS, VERY GOOD.

ANYWAY, THE PSYCHOLOGIST WOULD TELL THE STUDENTS, HE SAYS, HEY, LOOK, I WANT YOU TO WATCH THIS FILM.

TELL ME WHO, HOW MANY TIMES THE BASKETBALL'S DRIBBLED, WHAT COLOR THE SHIRT IS THAT THE PERSON HAS THE BALL, AND, AND HOW MANY BASKETS THEY MAKE.

AND SO THE PEOPLE WATCH THIS FILM, AND IN THE BACKGROUND, A MAN IN A GORILLA SUIT WALKS BY EATING A BANANA.

THEN HE GOES BACK THE OTHER WAY.

SO WHEN THE FILM'S OVER, HE, THE PSYCHOLOGIST ASKS ALL THE STUDENTS, IF ANYONE NOTICED A MAN IN A GORILLA SUIT AND NO ONE EVER DOES, 'CAUSE THEY'RE NOT LOOKING FOR IT.

SEE, I GUESS TO SOLVE A PROBLEM, MY POINT IS YOU'VE GOTTA KNOW, YOU'VE GOTTA SEE IT AND YOU'VE GOTTA BE LOOKING

[01:00:01]

FOR THE SOLUTION.

THANK YOU, NICHOLAS.

LITTLE TO BE FOLLOWED BY MARK, ROD RODRIGUEZ.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR WHITMEYER, COUNCIL MEMBERS.

FOR 50 YEARS, HOUSTON'S COMMUNITY AFFAIRS DIVISION IS MORE THAN JUST A DIVISION WITHIN THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.

IT WAS OUR CITY'S CONSCIENCE.

IT WAS FORMED IN THE WAKE OF THE 1977 KILLING OF JOSE JOE CAMPOS TORRES.

A TRAGEDY THAT FORCED HOUSTON TO REBUILD TRUST BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE PEOPLE WHICH THEY SERVE FOR DECADES AFTERWARDS, THE DIVISION'S, LIAISONS, OFTEN OFFICERS WHO GREW UP IN A VERY NEIGHBORHOOD STATE, PATROLLED WORKED SIDE BY SIDE WITH RESIDENTS, CLERGY, YOUTH LEADERS, AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS THAT TRANSLATED LAW ENFORCEMENT INTO COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDING.

SINCE THIS DISSOLUTION IN 2025, WE'VE SEEN A GAP WIDE AGAINST, AGAIN, GRASSROOT.

LEADERS FROM THIRD WARD TO GULFTON SAY THAT THEY NO LONGER HAVE A DIRECT LINE TO HPD.

THE HOUSTON'S HOUSTON LGBT POLITICAL CAUCUS CALLED A LOSS, A SETBACK FOR TRANSPARENCY AND SAFETY.

WITH CURRENT DEBATES OVER HP'S COOPERATION WITH FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AGENTS, TRUST HAS NEVER BEEN MORE CRITICAL AND MORE FRAGILE.

REINSTATING IN THE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS DIVISION ISN'T ABOUT OPTICS, IT'S ABOUT PREVENTION THROUGH PARTNERSHIP, IT WILL REESTABLISH TRAINING LIAISONS IN EVERY COUNCIL DISTRICT HELP OFFICERS RESOLVE CONFLICTS WITH BEFORE THEY ESCALADE AND REVEAL CREDIBILITY IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE FEEL ARE UNSEEN.

ACCORDING TO HPDS OWN ANNUAL REPORTS, COMMUNITY AFFAIRS STAFF HELD OVER 1200 PUBLIC MEETINGS AND YOUTH EVENTS ANNUALLY, PARTNERED WITH MORE THAN 300 FAITH BASED AND CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS, AND MAINTAIN LIAISON PROGRAMS TO REACH TENS OF THOUSANDS OF HOUSTONIANS EACH YEAR.

SINCE THE DIVISION'S DISSOLUTION MEASURABLE ENGAGEMENT HAS DROPPED, HP'S COMMUNITY OUTREACH INTERACTIONS FAILED BY OVER 40% IN 2026, AND REPORTS OF COOPERATION BETWEEN RESIDENTS AND POLICE AND NEIGHBORHOODS.

SURVEYS DECLINED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A DECADE.

COMMUNITY PARTNERS FROM THE HOUSTON MINISTERS AGAINST CRIME UP TO THE LATINO POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION HAVE PUBLICLY STATED THAT THE ABSENCE OF DEDICATED LIAISONS HAS INCREASED TENSION AND UNDER AND MISUNDERSTANDING BETWEEN OFFICERS AND THE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

COUNSEL SAFETY REQUIRES TRUST, AND TRUST REQUIRES PRESENCE.

LET'S RESTORE THE DIVISION THAT ONCE MADE HOUSTON A NATIONAL MODEL FOR COMMUNITY POLICING.

PUBLIC SAFETY AND TRUST ARE NOT COMPETING PRIORITIES.

LET'S REBUILD THAT STRUCTURE, REINSTATE THE DIVISION, AND MAKE HOUSTON A MODEL OF EVIDENCE-BASED POLICING.

AGAIN, BRING BACK THE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS DIVISION AND LET'S BRING HOUSTON BACK TOGETHER.

AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

COUNCILOR CARTER.

AND THANK YOU NICK FOR COMING DOWN.

I JUST WANNA POINT OUT THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR SATURDAY OR SUNDAY MORNING TEXT WITH PICTURES OF WHAT'S GOING OVER ON CONGRESS.

YES MA'AM.

UH, NICK IS, UH, ALWAYS, UH, VERY GOOD TO PROVIDE ME WITH PICTURES OF THE STREET FEEDERS AND YOU, YOU'VE GOT A GOOD EYE ON THE COMMUNITY, SO I REALLY DO APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO.

AND AND THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN TO SPEAK ON THIS.

AND CERTAINLY ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE MY NAACP COLLEAGUE, UM, EXCUSE ME, DON'T TALK WHEN I'M TALKING.

ANYWAY, , UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.

AND I GUESS AGAIN, I'M GONNA SAY MY, I SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS.

I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WAS BROKEN, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHY IT NEEDED TO BE FIXED.

AND CERTAINLY, UH, THIS, THIS CITY IS TOO LARGE TO NOT HAVE A COMMUNITY AFFAIRS DIVISION.

YES, MA'AM.

BECAUSE, UH, POLICE OFFICERS MOST TIMES DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO GIVE THAT PERSONAL ATTENTION TO A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.

SO I CERTAINLY SUPPORT THE REINSTATEMENT OF THAT.

FAR AS GETTING, RECEIVING ANY TYPE OF COMMUNICATION OF CORRESPONDENCE FROM THEM, NO, BUT I DO MAKE IT MY, MY EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT AS AN ORGANIZATION, THAT WE REACH OUT TO THEM, LET THEM KNOW OUR CONCERNS, WHAT WE'RE SEEING, WHAT'S GOING ON.

COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, COUNCILMAN POLL.

THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK YOU, UH, FOR COMING FORWARD.

UM, THERE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSIONS, UM, REGARDING WHAT HAS TAKEN THE PLACE OF THE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS DIVISION, UM, AS A COUNCIL MEMBER.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT IS, BUT YOU AS A ADVOCACY ADVOCATE WITH A ADVOCACY GROUP, HAVE YOU ALL HAD ANY COMMUNICATION WITH HPD OR THE ADMINISTRATION ON WHAT HAS TAKEN THE PLACE OF THE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS DIVISION TO CONTINUE THE DIALOGUE IN THE, THE COMMUNICATION, UH, WITHIN COMMUNITY? UH, CHIEF DIAZ STATED IN THE PRESS CONFERENCE LAST WEEK THAT THERE WAS SOME NEW DIVISION THAT WAS ON STEROIDS, UH, VERSION OF THIS COMMUNITY AFFAIRS DIVISION.

WOULD YOU HAVE ANY CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE DEPARTMENT ON WHAT THAT IS? AND HAVE THEY BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH YOU AT ALL BASED ON YOU ALL'S EFFORTS OF REACHING OUT ON THIS TOPIC? UM, AS THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE CHAIR FOR THE HOUSTON BRANCH, I CAN SAY NO.

UM, I PERSONALLY, UH, BECAUSE I WORK IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AT ANOTHER LEVEL, I INTERACT WITH HPD PERSONALLY, I'M ACTUALLY A MEMBER OF APOL, SO I WORK REAL CLOSELY WITH HPD OFFICERS, WHETHER IT BE AT THE HOUSTON ASTROS, WHETHER IT BE BEHIND THE SCENES.

SO AS

[01:05:01]

AND, UM, USUALLY I, THE LEADERS GO THERE AND JUST SHOW MY FACE AND THEY'RE LIKE, OH, OKAY.

AND THEN WE HAVE THE CONVERSATION, BUT IT'S NEVER REALLY ANY TYPE OF LIAISON WHERE SOMEONE'S COMING TO US.

IT USED TO BE WHENEVER THIS WAS, WHEN EVERYTHING WAS GOING, WE, IT WAS A CONSTANT THING.

BUT NOW IT'S MORE ALONG THE LINES, IF YOU'RE NOT LITERALLY THERE.

12 MINUTE TRAVIS.

IT'S PRETTY MUCH UNHEARD.

NEXT.

THANK YOU MARK RODRIGUEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOY DAVIS.

MY NAME IS MARK RODRIGUEZ, I'M THE PRESIDENT OF A CIVIC GROUP, ALSO OWN TWO BUSINESS IN THE SECOND WARD.

I WANNA START OFF BY THANKING MAYOR WHITMEYER, ALONG WITH COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ, ALONG WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, ALONG WITH JULIAN RAMIREZ, WILLIE DAVIS, TWILA CARTER, ALEJANDRO SALINAS, AND SALLY ALCORN.

Y'ALL MADE A, A FIELD TRIP TO A ZOO POSSIBLE FOR OUR ENTIRE SCHOOL.

AT FIRST, I ONLY WANTED TO TAKE PRE-K THREE, FOUR AND FIRST AND SECOND, BUT NOW I TALKED TO THE PRINCIPAL AND WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO TAKE THE ENTIRE SCHOOL.

BUT THANK ALL Y'ALL FOR MAKING THAT POSSIBLE.

UM, I'LL LET Y'ALL KNOW THE DATE IF ANY OF Y'ALL WANNA SHOW UP.

I BELIEVE IT'S THE 10TH OF NEXT MONTH.

NOW, I WANNA START OFF ON, UH, THE WHY I BELIEVE, UH, THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, PUBLIC AFFAIRS IS IMPORTANT.

LAST NIGHT WE HELD A COMMUNITY MEETING.

WE HAD ABOUT 25 RESIDENTS THERE, AND NOBODY FROM HPD SHOWED UP.

MY PROBLEM WITH THAT, HOW CAN WE EXPECT THE COMMUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH HPD WHEN HPD DON'T WANNA ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY OR WHEN THEY TELL US THERE'S NO RESOURCES? I HAVE AN ACTIVE CIVIC GROUP.

UM, WE REPORT A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THE HOMELESS SITUATIONS, WITH PEOPLE SELLING DRUGS, WITH PEOPLE BREAKING IN CARS.

AND I REALLY ENCOURAGE Y'ALL TO PLEASE TRY TO BRING THAT BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY WHERE WE CAN MAKE HBD ACCESSIBLE TO THE PEOPLE.

SOME PEOPLE SAY, WELL, THEY CAN DO IT ONLINE.

I SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TALK TO MS. GONZALEZ AT 75 YEARS OLD, SHE DON'T HAVE A COMPUTER.

SHE DON'T EVEN HAVE A, SHE HAS A FLIP PHONE.

SHE DON'T EVEN HAVE A, A REGULAR PHONE WITH INTERNET.

BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE Y'ALL TO PLEASE TRY TO BRING POLICING BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE IT WHERE PEOPLE CAN WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHERE KIDS AREN'T AFRAID OF THE COPS, AND THE ONLY TIME THEY GET TO SEE THE COPS WHEN THEY'RE GETTING PULLED OVER.

I THINK THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PART THAT WE NEED TO BRING BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY.

E HI BOWIE TO BE FOLLOWED BY STEPHANIE WILKINS.

UM, SHE'S PASSING, I'M SORRY, MY NAME IS HI MUI, I'M THE FOUNDER.

WE THE PEOPLE ORGANIZ.

NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN, MAYOR.

IT'S COUNCIL, UH, SHE'S PASSING UP MY PRESS RELEASE OF THIS MORNING AND IN MY PRESS RELEASE, THERE'S 11 QUESTIONS I LIKE TO ASK, BUT I, THAT TOOK TOO LONG FOR THAT TWO MINUTES.

SO I JUST WANNA FOCUS ON QUESTION SEVEN AND QUESTION EIGHT.

QUESTION SEVEN IS, IS HPD PARTICIPATING WITH ICE 2 2 87 G AGREEMENT PROGRAMMED THE REASON WHY HPD CLOSED HPD COMMUNITY AFFAIRS DIVISION? AND QUESTION EIGHT WAS THE SAME QUESTION I ASKED AT EARLIER AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE WAS HPD COMMUNITY AFFAIRS DIVISION CLOSED BECAUSE HPD OFFICERS ARE NEEDED ON THE STREETS TO DETAIN IMMIGRANTS VIOLATORS FOR 30 MINUTES FOR ICE.

IF YOU GUYS CAN ANSWER THOSE TWO QUESTIONS WHEN YOU GOT A CHANCE TO READ ALL 11, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

UH, I'LL END IT WITH THIS STATEMENT.

HOUSTON FAMILIES DESERVE POLICE OFFICERS WHO ARE FOCUSED ON SAFETY, NOT IMMIGRATION THEATER.

A TRAFFIC STOP SHOULD NOT BECOME AN IMMIGRATION DRAGNET IF THERE'S NO SEPARATE CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

HPD SHOULD NOT BE PROLONGING STOPS OR HOLDING PEOPLE OVER CIVIL ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANTS.

HPD IS HERE TO PROTECT HOUSTONIANS NOT TO ACT AS BACKUP FORCE FOR ICE.

PUBLIC SAFETY MEANS TRUST AND TRUST DIES WHEN HPD ACT LIKE ICE.

NEXT, STEPHANIE WILKINS TO BE FOLLOWED BY BALD DERO GARZA.

HERE, UH, SUPPORTING PURE JUSTICES ONE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT I AM A PART OF.

I AM REVEREND DR. STEPHANIE WILKINS AND I AM

[01:10:01]

I'M A PART OF THE NAACP I'M SORRY, LET ME BACK UP.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR.

GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.

I DON'T THINK THAT I HAVE MUCH MORE TO ADD BECAUSE YOU'VE HEARD FROM SOME VERY DYNAMIC PEOPLE IN SOME DYNAMIC ADVOCACY GROUPS.

THE PART THAT I WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT IS THE TRAFFIC STOPS.

YOU HAVE DATA THAT SHOWS THAT BLACK AND BROWN GETS STOPPED AT A MUCH HIGHER RATE THAN OTHERS.

AND I KNOW THAT EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS DIVISION AND IT IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.

BUT WHATEVER YOU COME UP WITH, WHATEVER TITLE YOU PUT ON IT, WHATEVER YOU DECIDE, I WANT YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KEEP THE BLACK PEOPLE AT THE FOREFRONT AS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS ANY OTHER GROUP.

I'M NOT SAYING ANYBODY ELSE IS LESS THAN, BUT WE ARE NOT LESS THAN EITHER.

I HAVE BEEN PERSONALLY AFFECTED BY A STOP THAT I, IT WAS, THERE WAS REALLY NO REASON TO BE STOPPED.

THE POLICE OFFICER CAME BEHIND ME, HE CAME WITH HIS LIGHTS ON AND HE STOPPED.

I'M TELLING Y'ALL I HAD A HEART STROKE ON THAT SUNDAY.

I HAD JUST COME FROM CHURCH AND HE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE ANY REASON TO STOP ME.

HE DID NOT EVEN WRITE A TICKET.

HE SAID, I'M GONNA LET YOU GO WITH A WARNING.

A WARNING FOR WHAT? I HAVE TWO SONS.

THEY ARE GOD FEARING, HARDWORKING FAMILY MEN.

I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES THEY'VE CALLED ME TO TELL ME THAT THEY HAVE BEEN PULLED OVER.

I'M PRAYING EVERY DAY THAT THEY MAKE IT HOME SAFELY.

I'M ASKING THAT YOU COME UP WITH PROACTIVE WAYS OF DEALING WITH BLACK AND BROWN AND THOSE THAT YOU MIGHT SEE AS OTHER.

THERE IS NO OTHER.

WE'RE ALL WORTHY OF DIGNITY AND RESPECT.

BE PROACTIVE, NOT SO REACTIVE IN WHAT YOU DO.

IT IS TO THE POINT THAT I DO NOT TRUST THAT WHEN A POLICE OFFICER COMES INTO MY CIRCLE, MY COMMUNITY, THAT HE'S THERE TO HELP.

I'M WONDERING WHO IS HE GOING TO PULL OVER? WHO IS HE GOING TO SNATCH OUT OF THEIR CAR? IT HAS BEEN THAT WAY SINCE MY SORO SANDRA BLAND FOUND HERSELF PULLED OVER AND SHE DID NOT MAKE IT HOME.

WHAT WAS HER CRIME? DRIVING WHILE BLACK.

I NEED FOR YOU ALL TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION THAT SEES ALL THE PEOPLE.

I SEE SOME OF YOU GIVING SIDE EYE.

IT'S OKAY.

WE GONNA KEEP COMING BEFORE YOU BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT AND IT'S WORTHY OF BEING SPOKEN ABOUT.

I THANK YOU MEMBER EVAN SHAMA.

AND CERTAINLY THANK YOU REVEREND DR. WILKINS.

IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU.

I HAVE LONG SPOKEN ABOUT THE NEED TO LOOK AT THIS, UH, BECAUSE I, I MEAN, MAYBE I SHOULDN'T BE, BUT IF A POLICE OFFICER COMES BEHIND ME, IT IT FRIGHTENS ME.

AND SOMETIMES, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU ARE, ARE NERVOUS, EVEN IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING WRONG RIGHT.

YOU MAY MAKE A BAD MOVE OR BAD DECISION.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE NEED TO CUT DOWN ON THE UNNECESSARY ENGAGEMENT, UH, WITH THE NON-SAFETY, UM, TRAFFIC STOPS.

NOW I'M THINKING IN TERMS OF SOMETHING LIKE THE TOLL, WHEN YOU GET A TICKET ON THE TOLL, YES.

YOU DON'T GET STOPPED.

THEY SEND YOU A TICKET IN THE MAIL, RIGHT? SO THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO HANDLE THESE, UH, TICKETS AND, YOU KNOW, GET THE REVENUE THAT GOES ALONG WITH THEM.

SO I, I CERTAINLY SUPPORT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND I, UH, COMMEND PURE JUSTICE AS WELL, BECAUSE THEY ORIGINALLY BROUGHT THIS TO ME AND I THINK OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS BACK IN 2020, CERTAINLY MM-HMM .

AND SO, UM, I WOULD BE ONE THAT WOULD SUPPORT, UH, CHANGING THAT POLICY.

COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS, THANK YOU FOR COMING TO SPEAK.

I WANNA ECHO WHAT THE COUNCILWOMAN, THE COUNCIL MEMBER SAID.

YOUR VOICE IS POWERFUL.

WHAT PURE JUSTICE DOES IS POWERFUL.

AND YOU HAVE THE COMMITMENT OF MYSELF, AND I KNOW MANY OF US ARE JUST HORSESHOE THAT WANNA WORK ON THIS ISSUE AND TACKLE IT TOGETHER.

SO I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU TO GET SOMETHING DONE ON THE ISSUE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, POLLARD.

AND STEPHANIE, I TOO WANNA JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, UH, YOUR EFFORTS AND YOUR DEDICATION TO COMMUNITY.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE HERE.

YOU VOLUNTEER A LOT OF YOUR TIME, UH, BUT IT IS NECESSARY.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NEXT BALD DERO GARZA.

TOMORROW BE TO BE FOLLOWED BY KATHY BLUFORD DANIELS.

[01:15:04]

GOOD AFTERNOON, YOU ALL.

I KNOW YOU'VE NEVER SEEN ME COME HERE WITH HANDOUTS WITH THIS TOO DAMN MUCH TO SIT THE PEN AND TRY TO REMEMBER I AM HERE ON HARRIS COUNTY CHAPTER 26 COMPLIANCE HEARING.

I'M SENDING YOU ALL A COPY OF THE LETTER THAT WAS SENT OUT TO JUDGE HIDALGO INTO COMMISSIONERS IN REFERENCE TO THE TAKEOVER OF HERMAN PARK.

UH, DEAR JUDGE HIDALGO COMMISSIONERS AND COUNTY ATTORNEY AUGH, THESE COMMENTS ARE RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED TO THE HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT HEARING REGARDING COMPLIANCE WITH CHAPTER 26 OF THE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE CODE ARISING FROM THE PROPOSED CONDEMNATION OF 8.9 ACRES OF HERMAN PARK.

THESE COMMENTS ARE SUBMITTED ON BEHALF OF BOTH PROTECT HERMAN PARK, A LOOSE AFFILIATION OF PARK SUPPORTERS AND THE BAYOU CITY INITIATIVE OF 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFIT FOCUSED ON FLOODING BY BY THIS LETTER, WE ARE CHALLENGING HARRIS HOUSE ASSERTION THAT THEY COMPLY WITH CHAPTER 26, 2 STANDARDS FOR THE REVIEW OF A CONVERSION OF PUBLIC PARKLAND TO A NON-PAR USE.

THAT THERE ARE NO FEASIBLE AND ALTERNATIVES, AND THAT ALL REASONABLE PLANNING HAS BEEN TAKEN TO MINIMIZE HARM TO THE LAND, WHICH ARE SUMMARIZED BELOW A FEASIBLE AND PRUDENT ALTERNATIVE.

THEY HAVE NOT TRIED A REASONABLE PLANNING TO MINIMIZE HARM TO THE LAND.

THEY AIN'T GIVE A DAMN REFUSAL TO SHARE HOSPITAL FACILITY WITH A MASTER PLAN.

AND MEETING THAT NON-TRANSPARENCY OF THIS TRANSACTION IS ALARMING.

AND I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM ANY OF YOU ALL ABOUT THIS.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, HARRIS COUNTY CONVENTIONS WILL VOTE TO CONDEMN, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, Y'ALL GET THE MONEY.

THIS IS CITY OF HOUSTON LAND.

ONCE IT'S CONDEMNED, IT BECOMES Y'ALLS AND THE NARKY FAMILY.

THE FACT THAT THIS IS MOVING FORWARD AT THIS SPEED, WE HAVE WENT TO THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL.

THEY WILL NOT GIVE US ANY DOCUMENTS.

WE HAVEN'T SEEN THEIR FEASIBILITY STUDY.

WE HAVEN'T SEEN THEIR ALTERNATIVE.

THEY WILL RELEASE NOTHING.

WHEN I WAS AT LESLIE BRIANNE'S TOWN HALL MEETING ON THIS HEARING, I ASKED DR.

PORSCHE TO HIS FACE, WHAT ABOUT THE OLD BEN TODD SITE? HE SAID, ON RECORD, ON TAPE.

I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT BUILDING.

HELL, THE OPEN TOP BEEN STANDING SINCE THE SIXTIES.

IT'S STILL THERE.

THEY USE THE FIRST FLOOR FOR THE PHARMACY, THE TOWER FOR PSYCHIATRIC, AND THE FIFTH FLOOR FOR UNHOUSED PATIENTS WHO HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO GO.

THEY DON'T NEED NO HEALTHCARE, THEY DON'T NEED NOTHING.

THEY JUST NEED SOMEWHERE TO GO.

SO THEY BED THEM UP THERE.

THE FACT THAT THE HEARING IS THIS THURSDAY, AND I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM Y'ALL, IS APPALLING.

HERMAN PARK IS NOT JUST A PARK, IT'S OUR CENTRAL PARK.

EVERYBODY FEELS WELCOME AT HERMIT PARK.

NOBODY IN THIS BUILDING ON THIS STREET AROUND HERE HASN'T HAD A HAPPY TIME AT HERMIT PARK.

WHY THE HELL SHOULD WE START GIVING IT UP FOR THIS? THIS DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.

I MYSELF, AS YOU WELL KNOW, COUNCIL MEMBER WAS IN A COMA FOR ALMOST A MONTH AT HARRIS HEALTH.

SO I BELIEVE IN THE PURPOSE, BUT NOT THE DELIVERY OF THE SERVICES IN THIS METHOD.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUNISH SOME CITIZENS TO BLESS THE OTHER, LIKE THE, THE PEOPLE HERE FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SAID, AND LIKE THE LADY SAID, WHO WAS HERE AGAINST THE WAY THEY DOING THE DAMN POLK STREET? EVERYBODY MATTER.

EVERYBODY.

AND THE FACT THAT YOU ALL WOULD EVEN GO THIS FAR TO GET TO THIS, THE FOREFATHERS OF THIS STATE KNEW PARKLAND WOULD BE AT RISK.

THAT IS WHY THEY PUT IN THERE.

THE ONLY WAY YOU ASK AND TAKE IT IS IF YOU CONDEMN IT AND PROVE YOU HAVE DONE EVERYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE.

THEY HAVE PROVEN NOTHING.

YOUR TIME ISN'T, DOES NOT NEED TO MOVE FORWARD.

YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.

HOPEFULLY MR. LEMON, YOU CAN NUDGE HIM A LITTLE BIT AND REMIND HIM AGAIN, UM, TO JAMES RENAME IT FROM JAMES T. HALL PARK TO JAMES, I'M SORRY, FROM TUFFLEY PARK TO JAMES R. HALL PARK.

NEXT, KATHY BLUFORD DANIELS TO BE FOLLOWED BY CHERYL CHURCHILL.

HOW DO YOU FOLLOW TOMORROW? THANK YOU.

THANK YOU ALL.

EITHER ONE.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

FIRST OF ALL, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON.

THANK YOU MAYOR AND ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.

THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY.

I SAID IF I STARTED SINGING OPERA, PERHAPS ISSA, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD COME BACK IN.

BUT THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO STAND BEFORE YOU AND SPEAK ON SOMETHING THAT IS IMPORTANT TO MANY OF US IN THE FIFTH WARD IN SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.

COMMUNITIES.

AND THAT'S THE RENAMING OF TUFFLEY PARK COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON HAS BEEN COMMUNICATING WITH US.

AND THANK YOU FOR THAT REGARDING THE RENAMING.

BUT I WANT TO REMIND THE REMAINING COUNCIL MEMBERS TO REALIZE AND UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS RENAMING ALVIN BYRD, AS MANY OF YOU ALL KNOW, AND JOE BALLER STARTED THIS REQUEST FROM MS. UH, BEFORE MR. BYRD PASSED IN 2023.

AND IT HAD, HE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN GATHERING NECESSARY SUPPORT FOR THE RENAMING MR. HALL, WHO WE'RE ASKING THIS PART TO BE RENAMED AFTER, HAS SINCE PASSED IN OCTOBER, 2024.

AND HE TOO WAS NOT ABLE TO SEE THIS RENAMING.

SO I'M HERE TO PETITION MAYOR WHITMEYER AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO ADD UP TO AN UPCOMING AGENDA THAT, UH, THE RENAMING OF TUFFLEY PARK.

[01:20:01]

AND WHILE MR. LEWIS TUFFLEY WAS AN AMERICAN HISTORIAN SPECIALIZING IN TEXAS HISTORY, WHO LIVED IN HOUSTON AND MOST, MOST OF HIS YOUTH, AND LATER GRADUATED FROM CURVE IN HIGH SCHOOL IN GALVESTON, MR. JAMES HALL, ON THE OTHER HAND, GREW UP IN ONE OF THE POOREST AREAS OF FIFTH WARD, PLAYING BASEBALL IN THE KE COURTS.

HE ATTENDED THE ORIGINAL BRUCE ELEMENTARY EL SMITH AND GRADUATED FROM WHEATLEY HIGH SCHOOL IN 1957.

AFTER GRADUATION, HE WENT ON TO PLAY BASEBALL AT PRAIRIE VIEW.

A MMA AND M RECEIVED A BACHELOR'S IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION.

AND MR. HALL, IN HIS SECOND YEAR OF COLLEGE AT PRAIRIE VIEW, WAS DRAFTED BY THE PITTSBURGH FARM CLUB TO PLAY BASEBALL, BECOMING ONE OF THEIR TOP SWITCH HITTERS.

AFTER A LIFE OF LIFE CHANGING LEGACY AND INJURY, HE WENT TO PRAIRIE VIEW AND EARNED HIS MASTER'S IN COUNSELING.

AND IN GUIDANCE, MR. HALL TAUGHT DR.

SHABAS AND WAS AN EDUCATOR FOR MORE THAN 45 YEARS.

45 YEARS, WHILE SHAPING THE MINDS OF YOUTH IN THE CLASSROOM.

AND MORE THAN 45 YEARS AS A COACH, CONTINUING TO STRESS, RESILIENCE, ACCOUNTABILITY, TEAMWORK, PERSEVERANCE, STARTED THE FREE YOUTH BALL PROGRAMS AND BASEBALL AND FOOTBALL PROGRAMS AT TUFFLEY PARK, UM, AT A TIME WHEN COMMUN AT THIS TIME RIGHT NOW, WHILE COMMUNITIES ARE CHANGING, WHEN SOMEONE GIVES SO MUCH OF THEMSELVES TO YOUNG PEOPLE, TO FAMILIES, AND TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS A WHOLE, THEIR IMPACT DOESN'T FADE.

IT LIVES IN THE LIVES THEY SHAPED.

MS. KATHY, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

UH, IT'LL BE ON NEXT WEEK'S AGENDA IF YOU WANT TO BRING FAMILY OR NEIGHBORS TO COUNCIL.

WE WERE ACTUALLY WAITING OUTTA RESPECT FOR COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON'S HEALTH TO, UH, ALLOW HER TO PARTICIPATE NEXT WEEK.

SO MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

IT'S A GREAT HONOR TO, UH, RECOGNIZE, UH, SUCH A FIGURE.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, IT WORKED.

COUNCILMAN POLLARD.

AND THANK YOU MS. DANIELS FOR BEING HERE.

UM, THE PARK HAS SOME INCREDIBLE HISTORY.

CAN YOU NAME SOME MORE SUCCESS STORIES THAT HAVE COME OUT OF THAT PARK? ABSOLUTELY.

AND THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY, UH, ALL OF THIS CAN'T BE MEASURED, BUT IT CAN BE RECOGNIZED.

BUT SOME OF THE SUCCESS STORIES ARE CARL CRAWFORD, WHO WAS A MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYER, LESTER HAYES, WHO'S MY CLASSMATE AT WHEATLEY WHEATLEY, NOT JY WHEATLEY.

AND HE PLAYED WITH THE RAIDERS, UH, XAVIER HOWARD, WHO WENT LATER ON, WHO PLAYED WITH THE MIAMI DOLPHINS.

SO THERE ARE A LOT OF, OF SUCCESS STORIES, MANY OF WHICH I DON'T HAVE, I HAVE NOT ACCOUNTED FOR, BUT OF COURSE, WITH PROPER RESEARCH, WE CAN DO THAT.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, COUNCILOR JACKSON.

I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU, KATHY, FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST STAND ON THIS.

UM, I KNOW THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT ALVIN WAS WORKING ON BEFORE HE PASSED, AND THEN WHEN, UM, MR. HALL PASSED, SOME NEW POLICY KICKED INTO PLACE THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT AND FORESEE.

BUT I'M HAPPY THAT WE FINALLY GETTING THIS, UM, THIS RENAMED, UM, FOR THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, MR. HALL HAS DONE A, A LOT OF GREAT, UM, WORK THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.

AND SO JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST THANK YOU GUYS FOR MAKING SURE OUR LEGACY, OUR OUR LIVING LEGENDS AND LEGENDS THAT PASSED ON ARE BEING RECOGNIZED.

SO THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR THE, YOUR LEADERSHIP.

THANK YOU KATHY, FOR RINGING ATTENTION TO THIS H PART.

REACHED OUT TO ME A FEW WEEKS AGO AND, AND, UH, I REVIEWED IT AND ASKED SOME QUESTIONS AND, AND I THINK IT HAS GREAT MERIT.

AND SO I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT HONORING, UH, THIS GENTLEMAN FOR WHAT HE DID FOR THE COMMUNITY.

NEXT, CHERYL CHURCHILL.

CHERYL, I'M SORRY, CAROL CHURCHILL TO BE FOLLOWED BY SIDNEY JONES.

THEY HAVE A FULL ROAD CLOSURE RIGHT AT WHERE PEOPLE TURN INTO GO TO THE RESTAURANT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

UM, SO I OWN CHINA GARDEN RESTAURANT DOWNTOWN BY THE TOYOTA CENTER.

UM, WHAT I'M HERE TODAY FOR IS EITHER HELP OR INFORMATION, BECAUSE AFTER 22 YEARS, THE TOYOTA CENTER WAS BUILT IN 2003.

THEY'VE NEVER HAD TO CLOSE THE STREET DOWN AT PEAS IN CRAWFORD, WHICH MAKES MY CLIENTELE GO ALL THE WAY AROUND TO LELAND.

AND SO I GET A LOT OF PEOPLE YELLING AT ME.

THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.

I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL CAN SEE THIS, BUT

[01:25:01]

AND SO WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET INFORMATION, BUT IT'S, IT'S HOUSTON FIRST, IT'S HPD, IT'S, YOU KNOW, NOBODY CAN GIMME AN ANSWER WHY THEY HAVE THAT CLOSURE, BUT IT'S ONLY FOR ROCKY GAMES, NOT FOR CONCERTS.

SO I'M, I'M JUST FIND OUT.

THANK YOU, CAROL.

UH, REBECCA, DO YOU WANT TO, OKAY.

I MEAN, I DON'T NEED THE INFORMATION.

I'VE BEEN THERE LONGER THAN YOU AND I WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW.

YES, SIR.

BUT, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR AND YOUR FAMILY, YOUR MOTHER, YOUR PARENTS, AND THANK YOU.

UH, LET ME SEE.

THERE'S A COMMUNICATION GAP THERE, SO THANK YOU.

COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ IS IN THE QUEUE.

COUNCILOR RAMIREZ.

AND, AND CAROL, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING YOUR CONCERNS FORWARD.

I KNOW THAT'S A, THAT'S A HISTORIC SMALL BUSINESS HERE IN, IN OUR DOWNTOWN AREA.

AND, UH, I KNOW THE CITY WANTS TO SUPPORT, UH, YOU GUYS AND, AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND A WAY, UH, TO MAKE IT EASIER TO GET TO YOUR RESTAURANT WHEN THEY HAVE ROCKET GAMES.

UM, YOU AND I HAVE SPOKEN MANY TIMES ABOUT IT.

YOU KNOW, MICHAEL HECKMAN HAS BEEN HELPFUL.

I KNOW RANDY MACKAY HAS TRIED TO BE HELPFUL.

UH, THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO LIE WITH APEX SECURITY AND THEIR UNWILLINGNESS TO, TO UNDERSTAND, UH, WHAT IT DOES TO YOUR BUSINESS WHEN THEY COMPLETELY SHUT THAT STREET DOWN.

AND SO HOPEFULLY, UH, WITH WITH MORE COMMUNICATION, WE'LL BE ABLE TO, TO LET YOUR BUSINESS THRIVE AGAIN, EVEN WHEN THE ROCKETS, UH, PLAY.

SO, YOU KNOW, WITH COVI, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A HARD TIME FOR US.

AND THEN, UM, WITH, YOU KNOW, FOR 22 YEARS, THEY NEVER HAD TO CLOSE THE STREET DOWN.

AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THIS IN, UH, OCTOBER OF WHEN THE SEASON STARTED FOR THE ROCKETS IN OCTOBER IS WHEN THEY STARTED SHUTTING THAT MAIN STREET DOWN FOR PEOPLE TO COME INTO CHINA GARDEN.

SO, UM, I JUST NEED HELP IN FINDING OUT WHY THEY'RE, WE'RE ON TOP OF IT.

WE'LL KNOW IN A LITTLE WHILE.

YOU, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

YOU KNOW, YOU WERE THERE BEFORE THE, UH, TOYOTA STADIUM WAS THERE.

YOU WERE 57 YEARS IN APRIL.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

WE JUST WON A WON AWARD FOR PRESERVATION HOUSTON TOO, SO THANK YOU.

NEXT, SIDNEY JONES, JOHN NICKS JOHN TO BE FOLLOWED BY LARRY COOPER, HOWDY MAY HOWDY, MAYOR RET MEYER AND FELLOW CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

MY NAME IS JOHN NICKS, I'M A RESIDENT OF SPRAIN BRANCH.

AND, AND, AND AMY PECKS TO AMY, COUNCIL MEMBER AMY PECKS, DISTRICT A I'M CALLING TO SAY THERE'S SEVERAL THINGS TOO.

I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THE, YOU KNOW, THE CITY STOP WORKING ALTOGETHER WITH ICE AND BE A FULL SANCTUARY CITY.

AGAIN, NOT EVEN WORKING WITH ANY OF TRUMP'S OR ABBOTT'S TYRANNICAL POLICIES, AND JUST GO FIGHT 'EM MAL TOOTH AND NAIL TO IT.

ON THAT.

ANOTHER ISSUE CAME TO BRING UP IS I WANNA SEE THE CITY FIGHT AGAIN FOR BRINGING ANOTHER HERO 2.0 FROM OUR GRO RIGHTS PROTECTIONS AGAINST, FOR PEOPLE LIKE MY, INCLUDING FOR PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF THAT NEED IT HERE IN THE CITY.

PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF, EVEN THROUGH ADA'S, BEEN AROUND FOR SO LONG, STILL FACE DISCRIMINATION TO THIS DAY, EVEN IN SPRING BRANCH, EVEN IN DISTRICT A.

I EXPERIENCE IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH ON THAT STUFF.

OTHER ISSUES I LIKE TO SEE MY CITY WORK WITH IS WORK ON IMPROVING SIDEWALKS AND SPRING BRANCH.

SOME AREAS LIKE WHERE I LIVE IS LIKE SO, SO NARROW THAT YOU CAN'T EVEN REALLY TURN MY AROUND WHEN I'M TRYING TO GET TO THE BUS STOP.

OR SOME ARE JUST NOT EVEN THERE AT ALL.

AND YOU HAVE TO GO IN THE STREET TO WHERE YOU NEED TO GO TO, LIKE, IF YOU'RE COMING FROM THE BUS TO GET WHERE YOU NEED TO GO.

IT'S LIKE REALLY, REALLY AWFUL.

IN SPRING BRANCH.

ANOTHER OPTION IS TO WORK WITH METRO FOR A, IS TO WORK WITH METRO FOR LIKE A CURB TO CURB MICRO TRANSIT FOR OLIVE SPRING BRANCH.

AND THAT IT WOULD ALSO CONNECT TO MEMORIAL CITY FOR THE EXPRESS BUSES IN FRONT OF THE MALL.

AND MAYBE EVEN WORK TO BUILD WITH METRO TO BUILD RIGHT, A TRANSIT CENTER THERE BY THE MALL TO WHERE IT COULD EASILY CONNECT BETWEEN LIKE THE BUSES 26 AND 46 FROM SPRING BRANCH, AN AREA TO MAKE IT EASIER TO CONNECT TO THE 1 61, 1 62 BY THERE AS WELL.

THAT'S DESPERATELY IS WHAT'S NEEDED.

NEEDS A LOT OF WORK DONE.

BUT THAT WOULD BE MY CONCERNS.

I KNOW I'M PROBABLY RUNNING OUT OF TIME, SO I WANNA WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK AND, UH, HAVE A, HAVE A GREAT DAY AND GO TEAM, WHATEVER TEAM YOU'RE ROOTING FOR.

VICE MAYOR, PROTEIN PECK.

UM, MR. NICKS, YOU HAVE SENT SOME LOCATIONS TO OUR OFFICE.

[01:30:01]

UM, YES.

FOR SIDEWALKS, AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE, UM, OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO, UM, SEE WHERE WE CAN, UM, EITHER, YOU KNOW, CHANGE THE SIDEWALKS OR ADD SIDEWALKS AND SO, RIGHT.

THEY'RE ACTIVELY LOOKING AT IT AND WORKING ON IT.

AND SO AS SOON AS WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON THAT, WE WILL GIVE YOU A CALL BACK, RIGHT? BECAUSE IT'S HORRIBLE AS IT IS.

I KNOW THEY WERE, THE CITY WAS TRYING TO DO SOME SORT OF DRAINING AND LIKE BLOCKED OFF THE ACCESS TO THE BUS STOP GOING WEST YESTERDAY ON IT YESTERDAY, I NOTICED IT WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT WITH ME GETTING ON THE BUS GOING TOWARDS MEMORIAL YESTERDAY ON IT, BUT IT, BUT THEY COULD DO A LOT BETTER WITH THAT SIDEWALK.

AND IT USED TO NOT ALWAYS BE THAT WAY.

IF YOU LOOK AT IT ON GOOGLE STREET VIEW, IN FACT, LIKE 2007, IT LOOKED LIKE OUR NORMAL STREET LOCK.

WE HAD THE CURB CUTS ON THE EAST SIDE OF BUNKER, ON THE EAST SIDE OF BUNKER HILL, BUT IT WAS REMOVED.

SO IT NEEDS TO BE RESTORED AND MAKE IT A LOT BETTER AND WORK FOR MORE OF A CURB TO CURB WORK WITH CITY FUNDS AND METRO FUNDS, AND MAYBE EVEN THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT TO ALL COME TOGETHER TO BUILD MORE OF A CURB TO CURB LIKE THEY HAVE IN AC ACRES, LIKE THEY HAVE IN ACRES HOMES OR CASHMERE MAXEY, OR MEMORIAL CITY IN SPRING BRANCH.

NO PROBLEM.

AND HAVE A GREAT DAY AND GO TEAM OUT EVERY TEAM YOU'RE IN FOR.

NEXT LARRY COOPER TO BE FOLLOWED BY ERIC SANCHEZ.

THANK FOR ALLOWING ME THIS TIME TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS LARRY COOPER TO THIS ISSUE AND TO THIS COUNCIL.

UH, AND I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT WHAT YOU IMMEDIATELY ISSUE DIRECTIVES TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND PERMITS TO INSPECT AND INVESTIGATE ALL LEWIS FOODTOWN STORES OPERATING WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR NON-COMPLIANCE WITH CITY REGULATION AND STATUTES AND SAFETY AND BUILDING CODES BASED ON RECORDS OBTAINED AND REVIEWED.

THERE IS CREDIBLE EVIDENCE INDICATING THAT SOME, BUT NOT ALL LEWIS FOODTOWN STORES LOCATED OPERATING WITHIN THE CITY'S JURISDICTION HAVE ALLEGEDLY BEEN CONDUCTING BUSINESS WITHOUT REQUIRED CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY AND HAVE MAINTAINED ONGOING BUILDING SAFETY AND FIRE SAFETY VIOLATIONS DURING THIS PERIOD.

THIS DISPARITY RAISED SUBSTANTIAL CONCERNS OF UNEQUAL ENFORCEMENT AND REGULATORY OVERSIGHT FAILURES AND CONSCIOUS INDIFFERENCE TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY.

OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES, NUMEROUS EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS INJURIES HAVE REPORTEDLY OCCURRED INSIDE THESE NON-COMPLIANT STORES, INCLUDING INCIDENTS INVOLVING MINOR INJURIES, AMPUTEES, AND FATALITIES.

THERE IS MY PERSONAL INJURY OCCURRING WHILE SHOPPING AT LEWISTOWN FOOD STORE.

THESE RISKS DIRECTLY AFFECTS THE WELFARE OF THIS, OF, OF ALL CITY OF HOUSTON RESIDENTS, STORE EMPLOYEES AND FAMILIES WHO RELY ON THESE STORES FOR ESSENTIAL SERVICES.

THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL HAVE A STATUTORY DUTY TO ENSURE ALL BUSINESSES OPERATE WITHIN ITS JURISDICTION, COMPLIES WITH TEXAS BUILDING SAFETY AND FIRE CODES REQUIREMENTS.

THIS COMPANY, FOR 20 YEARS OF PROLONGED OPERATION, MULTIPLE NON-COMPLIANCE STORES INDICATED SYSTEMATIC FAILURE IN OVERSIGHT AND ENFORCEMENT THAT WARRANTS IMMEDIATE INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT BY THE CITY COUNCIL.

FOR THE SAKE OF REDUNDANCY, THIS MATTER DIRECTLY CONCERNS THE PUBLIC SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELFARE OF ALL RESIDENTS.

I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THIS COUNCIL TO GIVE THIS ISSUE PROMPT AND SERIOUS CONSIDERATION.

AS OF TODAY, ALLEGEDLY, SOME LOUIS FOOD TOWN STORES CONTINUE WITH NON-COMPLIANCE, THEREBY PUTTING THE PUBLIC AT UNNECESSARY AND PREVENTABLE RISKS.

COUNCIL ALCORN.

THANK YOU, SIR, FOR COMING.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOUR SPECIFIC CASE OR INJURY, BUT I DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE OFTEN WE RUN INTO BUSINESSES THAT DON'T HAVE A, A CURRENT, UM, CO.

WELL, THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER.

SO IF YOU CAN, I'LL, I'LL STEP OUT WITH YOU IF YOU CAN GIVE ME SOME SPECIFICS.

I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN BLANKET EVERY FOOD LION OR EVERY ONE OF THESE STORES, BUT IF YOU KNOW SPECIFICALLY ABOUT ONES, WE CAN CERTAINLY HAVE OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT, UM, GO OUT AND CHECK IT OUT.

[01:35:01]

I, UH, I'M ALSO GOING TO, UH, COMMISSIONER COURT ON THURSDAY BECAUSE THESE STORES ALSO OPERATING AND FOR 20 YEARS THEY'VE BEEN OPERATING AND PEOPLE, PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN THESE STORES.

UH, AND OKAY, LIKE I SAID, JUST, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC ADDRESS OF A STORE THAT YOU KNOW, WE CAN WORK ON THAT, BUT I DON'T THINK WE CAN ISSUE A BLANKET.

UM, WELL, I, I, I HAVE ATTACHED WITH THE CITY AND WITH THE MAYOR'S PACKET, UH, SOME DOCUMENTS OKAY.

THAT HAVE, HAVE LOCATIONS.

SO I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO GIVE ALL Y'ALL NONE.

SO, OKAY.

IF, UH, IF THE CITY OKAY, SECRETARY, DO THAT, THEN YOU CAN GET THAT.

WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR.

ERIC SANCHEZ, JOE JOTA STEVENSON TO BE FOLLOWED BY SELENA BRA BULLS.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. MAYOR AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS.

UH, MY NAME AS THEY STATED IS JOETTA STEVENSON, AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE GREATER FIFTH WARD SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD NUMBER 55.

I'M HERE TO COMMENT ON THE PROBLEM OF INCREASED TRAFFIC STOPS IN HOUSTON.

UM, I GUESS FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE IN THOSE TRAFFIC STOPS AND IT'S, UM, IT'S BEEN KIND OF MAINTAINED.

IT HASN'T ESCALATED TOO MUCH.

I BELIEVE IT, THERE WAS A LITTLE UPTICK IN 2025 ACCORDING TO THE RESEARCH THAT I'VE DONE.

AND WHILE HALF OF THOSE TRAFFIC STOPS RESULTED IN WARNINGS, THERE HAS DEFINITELY BEEN A NOTICEABLE SHIFT TOWARDS MORE TICKETS AND ARRESTS.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, THIS DATA CLEARLY SHOWS DISPARITIES IN WHO IS BEING STOPPED AND HOW THOSE STOPS ARE BEING HANDLED.

PARTICULARLY, UH, BLACK AND BROWN DRIVERS.

UM, THEY MAKE UP A DISPROPORTIONATELY HIGH SHARE OF TRAFFIC STOPS, PARTICULARLY BLACK DRIVERS COMPARED TO THEIR POP POPULATION.

LIKE THE LADY STATED EARLIER, I'VE BEEN STOPPED BY POLICE OUT OF THE BLUE.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THESE DISPARITIES BEING, THEY'RE MORE PRONOUNCED WITH LOW LEVEL NON-MOVING VIOLATIONS.

THINGS LIKE EXPIRED REGISTRATIONS AND, AND BROKEN LIGHTS.

AND THESE TYPES OF STOPS OFTEN ARE DISCRETIONARY.

SO THE COPS CAN MAKE A CHOICE WHETHER OR NOT TO STOP SOMEONE WITH THESE TYPES OF, UH, STOPS.

HOWEVER, ONE THING IS SURE THEY CONTRIBUTE TO MORE QUAL OUTCOMES.

ADDITIONALLY, BLACK DRIVERS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE SEARCHED OR ARRESTED DURING THESE STOPS, EVEN THOUGH SEARCHES DON'T CONSISTENTLY YIELD CONTRABAND.

THEY JUST DON'T.

SO MY, THE QUESTION WOULD BE, WHAT, WHAT CAN BE DONE? AND, AND I'M HERE TO OFFER A FEW LITTLE SUGGESTIONS, UH, TO TAKE UNDER CONSIDERATION.

FIRST, UH, OUR HPD NEED TO LIMIT OR DEPRIORITIZE STOPS FOR MINOR NON-SAFETY VIOLATIONS.

THIS REDUCES UNNECESSARY INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THE CITIZENS AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

AND IT ALSO CUTS DOWN ON AREAS WHERE THESE DISPARITIES ARE MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR.

SECONDLY, LET'S SHIFT ENFORCEMENT TOWARD DANGEROUS DRIVING BEHAVIORS LIKE SPEEDING, DUI RECKLESS DRIVING.

THAT'S SWERVING THAT PEOPLE DO NOWADAYS.

SECOND, UH, THIRDLY, I'M SORRY.

UM, LET'S LOOK AT INCREASING TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

LET'S TRACK STOP DATA IN REAL TIME AND LET'S LOOK AT THOSE PATTERNS.

LET'S SEE.

LOOK AT THOSE PATTERNS REGULARLY SO YOU CAN IDENTIFY PROBLEMS EARLY AND TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION.

YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.

AM I DONE? THANK YOU MS. STEVENSON, FOR COMING FORWARD.

DID YOU WANT TO, UH, FINISH YOUR STATEMENT AND THEN I HAVE A COMMENT? YES, I WOULD.

YES, I WOULD.

I'M NOT HERE TO ASK FOR LESS POLICING.

UH, LET'S TIGHTEN SOME RULES AROUND THESE SEARCHES, ESPECIALLY CONSENT SEARCHES.

UM, BASICALLY LET'S REQUIRE CLEARER JUSTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION, WHICH HELPS ENSURE CONSISTENCY AND FAIRNESS.

FINALLY, ELIMINATE QUOTAS OR WHAT I CALL INFORMAL EXPECTATIONS FOR THE NUMBER OF STOPS OFFICERS MAKE.

THAT REMOVES PRESSURE FROM OUR OFFICERS TO CONDUCT UNNECESSARY STOPS, PARTICULARLY FOR MINOR INFRACTIONS.

SO THE BOTTOM LINE,

[01:40:01]

I'M HERE TO ASK FOR SMARTER POLICING AND MORE EFFICIENT POLICING.

AND BOTH OF THOSE COULD CERTAINLY IMPROVE PUBLIC TRUST AND HELP MAINTAIN EFFICIENT LAW ENFORCEMENT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

UM, THIS BODY, UH, A YEAR OR TWO AGO, UH, THROUGH A PROPOSITION A, UH, PROPOSAL, UM, WAS ABLE TO STOP HPD FROM HAVING ANY TYPE OF QUOTAS REGARDING TRAFFIC STOPS.

UH, AND SO THAT NO LONGER EXISTS OR SHOULD EXIST, UM, AS IT PERTAINS TO DISPARITIES, UH, WHICH YOU ALWAYS CAN BE ABLE TO, UH, IDENTIFY THROUGH JUST DATA.

THE QUESTION BECOMES WHY IS THERE A DISPARITY, THE ROOT CAUSE OF WHY THERE IS A DISPARITY, UH, THAT GOES DEEPER THAN JUST CHANGING THE POLICY.

BUT, UH, THE MINDSET OR THE, UH, RATIONALE ON WHY THE DISPARITY OCCURS IN THE FIRST PLACE.

AND I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING AS A BODY AND AS A COMMUNITY, WE NEED TO LOOK AT AS WELL, UH, BECAUSE THE STATS ARE WHAT THEY ARE.

AND EVEN IF WE CHANGE THE POLICY, UH, THAT'S ONE LEVEL.

WE NEED TO ALSO LOOK AT, UH, THE MINDSET OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AS WELL AND WHY THE DISPARITY, UH, EXISTS IN THE FIRST PLACE.

AND SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

IT IS AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO BE AT THE FOREFRONT AND SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO, UM, REALLY CONSIDER WHAT CHANGES, UH, MAY NEED TO BE MADE SO THAT, UH, INDIVIDUALS IN ALL COMMUNITIES FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS FEEL SAFE.

LIMIT THESE PROBLEMATIC INTERACTIONS FOR THE MOST HOUSTONIANS, YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A POLICY THAT WILL EMBOLDEN OUR LOCAL POWER, IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR THOSE MOST AT RISK, AND SHOW THAT WE'RE STRONG.

I AM SELENA BRAVE BULLS TO BE FOLLOWED BY HAROLD SCOTT.

HELLO.

GOOD AFTERNOON, Y'ALL.

I'M SELENA, A POLICY ORGANIZER FOR PURE JUSTICE AND A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT C MAYOR WHITMEYER AND CITY COUNCIL.

AS ALWAYS, I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOU AND SPEAK ABOUT VARIOUS CONCERNS OF THE MOST IMPACTED HOUSTONIANS FROM SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY LIKE FLOCK TO THE BALLOONING OF HPDS BUDGET THAT LIMITS OUR RESOURCES FOR HOUSING AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND ARTS, LIKE THE OPERA TO THE PROBLEMATIC NATURE OF TRAFFIC STOPS FOR AN EXPIRED REGISTRATION LEADING TO DETENTION AT THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL, DEPORTATION, OR IN WORSE CASES, DEATH.

EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE BEEN SPEAKING ABOUT THESE PRESSING COMMUNITY CONCERNS AT DIFFERENT TIMES ON DIFFERENT DAYS, SOMETIMES WITH DIFFERENT FOLKS BEFORE THIS PODIUM, THEY ARE ALL A PART OF THE SAME LARGER ISSUE, THE INCREASINGLY POWERFUL SNARE OF THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM IN THIS CITY.

IT IS EXPENSIVE AND EFFECTIVE AT PROMOTING PUBLIC SAFETY.

NOW, THE CITY OF HOUSTON SHOULD BE, SHOULD NOT BE COMPLICIT OR COMPLACENT WHEN IT COMES TO PROTECTING HOUSTONIANS FROM POLITICAL, ADMINISTRATIVE, OR CORPORATE FORCES THAT ARE ACTIVELY ERODING AND STIFLING OUR CIVIL RIGHTS.

THE CITY SHOULD STAND FIRMLY IN DEFENDING RESIDENTS ACROSS COMMUNITIES AND ADVANCE AN INCLUSIVE SOLUTION THAT ADDRESSES THE LINCHPIN OF THE ISSUE.

WITHOUT ALIENATING ANY GROUPS LIKE DEPRIORITIZING, NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS.

THESE STOPS YIELD CONTRABAND LESS THAN 5% OF THE TIME ARE 29 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO INVOLVE VIOLENCE AGAINST BLACK DRIVERS THAN WHITE DRIVERS, AND ARE A PRIMARY ENTRY TO SYSTEM INVOLVEMENT AND SUBSEQUENT DESTABILIZATION FOR SO MANY PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES.

I UNDERSTAND WANTING TO STRIKE WHILE THE IRON IS HOT, BUT I CAUTION THIS CITY COUNCIL AGAINST BURNING SOME HOUSTONIANS AS A MEAN TO GIVE OTHERS A TEMPORARY BANDAID.

I'M PROUD TO STAND WITH MY FELLOW BLACK ORGANIZERS AND LEADERS ALONG WITH THOSE OF ALL OTHER BACKGROUNDS AS WE ASK FOR YOU TO MAKE POLICY DECISIONS WITH ALL OF US IN MIND.

WE ARE HERE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE'LL GET FARTHER TOGETHER.

MAYOR WHITMEYER AND CITY COUNCIL, DO YOU NOT AGREE? PEOPLE SAY THE COMPARISON IS THE THIEF OF HAPPINESS.

AND WE KNOW THAT THE COMPARISON ALONG WITH FINGER POINTING AND DANCING AROUND THE ROOT CAUSES IS NOT MAKING US HAPPIER.

IT'S NOT MAKING US HEALTHIER, AND IT'S NOT CREATING SAFER OR MORE WHOLE COMMUNITIES FOR THE SAKE OF OUR ELDERS WHO THOUGHT THAT THESE TIMES WOULDN'T COME LIKE THIS AGAIN, FOR ALL THOSE THAT WILL COME AFTER ME, THAT WERE ACTIVELY SHAPING THE WORLD FOR, FOR THOSE THAT CAN'T WAIT AND NEED US TO ACT WITH COURAGE TODAY, PLEASE DO NOT LET ALIENATION BE THE THIEF OF OUR SOLIDARITY, OUR UNITY, OUR PROGRESS AS A CITY WE CANNOT LOSE SIGHT OF THE UNIFYING THREAT THAT UNDERPINS ALL OF OUR CONCERNS.

THIS WIDENING CRIMINAL LEGAL LASSO THAT'S ROPING IN OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGH UNNECESSARY INTERACTIONS.

AND WE CANNOT LOSE SIGHT OF WHY WE MUST STAND TOGETHER ON THIS.

WHILE OTHER ACTORS WANT TO SOW DIVISION AMONG US AND REAP BENEFITS OF SPLINTERED COMMUNITIES, DILUTED POWER AND INFIGHTING, Y'ALL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE RIGHT THING, UNIFY AS A LEGISLATIVE BODY, AND DEMONSTRATE THE SHARED STRENGTH OF OUR COMMUNITY'S REPRESENTATION.

AND THE CITY.

AGAIN, MAYOR WHITMEYER AND CITY COUNCIL, I URGE YOU TO SUPPORT POLICY OPTIONS LIKE DEPRIORITIZING, NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS.

RATHER THAN ANY MEASURES THAT WON'T MEANINGFULLY

[01:45:01]

HOUSTON STRONG, YOUR TIME, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.

JUST A MOMENT.

COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABA.

THANK YOU MAYOR SEL, HAVE YOU FINISHED YOUR COMMENTS? YES, THANK YOU.

COUNCIL, YOU, EVERY TIME I SEE YOU, MY HEART JUST BURSTS.

UH, YOU MAKE ME SO PROUD AND YOU GIVE ME HOPE AND IT LETS ME KNOW THAT EVERYBODY'S NOT MISBEHAVING AT THE RODEO.

YOU ARE HANDLING YOUR BUSINESS AND YOU ARE HERE TRYING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

AND WE HAVE HAD THIS DISCUSSION BEFORE.

I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT YOU GOING TO LAW SCHOOL AND, AND REALLY BEING A PRODUCTIVE, UH, PERSON IN THE LEGAL FIELD.

BUT CERTAINLY, I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE DO HEAR YOU.

YOUR ARTICULATION IS JUST SUPERB AND CERTAINLY I APPRECIATE YOU COMING.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL.

ALL THE INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED.

NEXT SPEAKER HAROLD SCOTT SAMUEL MAYERS TO BE FOLLOWED BY ASTON ALLISON, AFTERNOON MAYOR AND EVERYBODY ELSE.

MY NAME IS SAMUEL MARRE.

UH, I HAVE A ISSUE WITH, UH, I WAS AT A FUNERAL AND, UH, I GET A CALL THAT MY HOUSE IS GETTING A BROKEN INTO.

SO I CALLED THE POLICE TO MEET ME THERE.

I GO OVER THERE AND THERE'S AN ABATEMENT, UH, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD INSPECTOR THERE.

GIVE ME THE, TELL ME THAT THERE WAS A WARRANT ON MY PROPERTY THAT THEY'RE GONNA, AND, AND THEY, I HAD TO, I PUT MY TRUCK IN FRONT OF THEM AND THEY ALREADY CUT THE CHAINS.

THEY ALREADY BUSTED THE GATES OPEN AND THEY STARTED TAKING THINGS OFF OF MY PROPERTY.

I SAID, WAIT, WAIT.

I DIDN'T GET NO WARNING.

I DIDN'T GET NO, UH, TICKET.

I DIDN'T MEET NOBODY.

THEY HAD MY NUMBER.

THEY HAVE EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO GET AHOLD OF ME IF THEY WANTED TO.

I NEVER GOT A WARNING.

I NEVER GOT A TICKET.

AND, UH, ON THAT NOTE, UH, THAT'S ALREADY HAPPENED THREE OR FOUR TIMES TO THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT PROPERTIES.

AND ANOTHER TIME, UH, THEY COME ON, UH, MY HOUSE AND TOOK FOUR VEHICLES.

IT TOOK ME $1,400 TO GET OUT.

NEVER EVEN MET AN OFFICER.

SO THIS IS, UH, LIKE, UH, I REPORTED, UH, TO INTERNAL AFFAIRS ONE OFFICER AND ONE OF THE COPS THERE AT MY PROPERTY THAT I CALLED TO COME AND MEET ME THERE, TOLD ME, YOU GOTTA GET OFF THE PROPERTY.

SO THEY HANDCUFFED ME, PUT ME IN THE POLICE CAR, AND GOT ME OFF MY OWN PROPERTY.

AND THEY WERE TELLING ME IT IS RETALIATION FROM AN OFFICER THAT, UH, I TOOK, WENT TO INTERNAL FAIR AND TOLD ABOUT.

AND HE SAID, THAT'S WHAT THAT WAS ALL ABOUT.

AND, UH, THEY TOOK, THEY LEFT, UH, THEY TOOK ALL MY PROPERTY FROM WHEN I WAS A KID.

IT WAS ON MY PROPERTY, ALL RIGHT, THEIR PIPES AND MY MATERIAL TO, I WAS REBUILDING THE HOUSE AND, AND, UH, THEY LEFT JUST NOTHING BUT THE HOUSE IN THE GARAGE AND DIRT ON THE WHOLE FENCE, WHOLE PROPERTY.

AND THIS JUST HAPPENED IN, UH, SEE BROOK, IT HAPPENED TO ME.

ONE OF MY PROPERTIES THERE.

AND THEN WHILE I'M DOING, DOING THIS, ANOTHER ONE OF MY PROPERTIES ABOUT THREE BLOCKS AWAY FROM THIS ONE GETS TAKEN.

AND THEY TOOK EVERYTHING OFF OF THERE.

SO, UH, IF THEY'RE, THEY'RE GONNA DO THAT, IT SHOULD BE A WARRANT WITH A TICKET IN THEIR HAND.

YOU KNOW, THEY STARTED THIS MAILING THEIR TICKETS TO PEOPLE.

I DIDN'T KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ME GETTING MAILED.

AND, UH, I TOLD THE JUDGE WHEN I WENT TO COURT THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, IF I SIGN A TICKET AND I GO TO COURT, I KNOW WHAT DAY THEY GO TO COURT, BUT HE MAILED ME A TICKET.

I DON'T, I DON'T EVEN KNOW THERE WAS A TICKET IN THE MAIL.

SO IT WAS ALL NEW TO ME.

I NEED SOME HELP TO FIND OUT WHERE MY STUFF IS.

THEY TOOK MY TRUCK, MY TRAILERS, MY MOTORCYCLES.

THEY SAID THEY WERE JUST GONNA CUT THE GRASS AND STUFF.

THEY TOOK EVERYTHING, THEY TOOK EVERYTHING OFF THE PROPERTY.

I CAN'T FIND IT.

I WENT TO THE POLICE FORCE.

THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHERE IT WAS.

THEY WENT TO INTERNAL FIRST.

NOBODY KNEW WHERE IT WAS.

'CAUSE I DIDN'T GET NO NAMES OR ANYTHING BECAUSE THEY, THEY ESCORTED ME OFF THE PROPERTY.

THEY SAID, COME BACK THAT, UH, I WAS GONNA GET ARRESTED AFTER TWO DAYS.

I WAS OUT THERE SECURING THE PROPERTY 'CAUSE PEOPLE WERE BREAKING INTO THE HOUSE AND STUFF.

AND THEY CAME INTO ESCORTED ME OFF MY PROPERTY AGAIN TWO DAYS LATER.

AND, UH, HERE THEY, THAT'S WHEN THEY TOOK EVERYTHING.

AND THEN I HAD PEOPLE BREAKING IN NOW, SO I NEEDED TO FIND OUT WHAT I COULD DO TO GET SOME HELP TO HELP ME FIND WHAT'S GOING ON.

YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED, MR. MAYORS.

UM, YOU ARE MY CONSTITUENT.

WE DID LOOK INTO THIS, UM, BEFORE YOU CAME TODAY.

UM, AND IT, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE PROPERTY WENT THROUGH AN ABATEMENT PROCESS.

I KNOW YOU SAID THAT YOU DIDN'T GET THAT INFORMATION.

WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET

[01:50:01]

UM, RENEE, CAN YOU HELP CONNECT HIM WITH PUBLIC WORKS? I DON'T KNOW IF IF ANYONE'S HERE, BUT IF YOU COULD SPEAK WITH RENEE RIGHT OVER HERE.

WE'RE GONNA GET YOU IN CONTACT WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND MAKE SURE YOU GET ALL THE INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED.

I WENT THERE, I WENT THERE AND, UH, I TALKED TO THE VICE, UH, INVESTIGATOR AND HE TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE WRONG WITH DOING THIS AND THAT THEY HAD TWO INVESTIGATORS COME.

THEY WERE BOMBARDING ME WITH TICKETS ONE YEAR.

I GOT 95 TICKETS ONE YEAR.

IT'S JUST, JUST, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE RETALIATION THAT THE OFFICER TOLD ME THAT IT WAS RIGHT, BECAUSE THEY BOMBARDED ME WITH TICKETS AND TAKING MY VEHICLES WITHOUT NO WARRANT OR ANYTHING.

JUST TAKE 'EM OFF THE PROPERTY AND HAVE TO GET 'EM UNFOUND.

OKAY, WELL LET, LET'S GET ALL THE INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED.

UM, IF YOU COULD TALK TO SAL OVER HERE AND RENEE, WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET ALL THE INFORMATION AND WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AS WELL.

APPRECIATE IT.

SEEN, SO I CREATED THIS A FEW DAYS AFTER I CREATED THIS, I REALIZED THERE'S ALREADY SOMETHING IN PLACE, WHICH IS THE BLOCK, THE, THE, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, BLOCK BY BLOCK AND, AND THE, THE OTHER CONTRACTORS THAT THE PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT ALREADY HAS.

NEXT SPEAKER, ASTON ALLISON, EDDIE SALAZAR TO BE FOLLOWED BY RANDALL BISHOP.

HOW ARE Y'ALL DOING THIS EVENING? I'M HERE WITH A, UH, PLEA FROM THE, UH, MAIN STREET MARKET SQUARE DISTRICT.

UH, THE CURRENT SAFETY ENVIRONMENT WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN HOUSTON MAIN STREET NIGHTLIFE CORRIDOR HAS REACHED A CRITICAL JUNCTURE FOR THE VENUE OWNERS, SECURITY PROFESSIONALS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO OPERATE HERE EVERY WEEKEND.

THE REALITY IS CLEAR, OUR CURRENT FRAGMENTED APPROACH TO SAFETY IS FAILING UNDER PRESSURE.

WHILE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INDIVIDUAL PRIVATE SECURITY FIRMS ARE DEDICATED, THEY OPERATE IN ISOLATION, LEADING TO COMMUNICATION GAPS, RESPONSE DELAYS, AND RISK MULTIPLIERS THAT THREATEN OUR ECONOMIC VITALITY.

WITH THE 2026 FI FOUR WORLD CUP, APPROACHING THE SYSTEMATIC WEAKNESSES POSE A DIRECT THREAT TO HOUSTON'S GLOBAL REPUTATION.

WE ARE NOT REPRESENTING A, I MEAN WE ARE NOT PRESENTING A BUSINESS PITCH.

WE ARE PRESENTING A COMMUNITY PLEA FOR THE ORDER AND PREVENTION NECESSARY TO PROTECT OUR WORKERS, RESIDENTS, AND VISITORS.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR.

CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

MY NAME IS EDWARD SALAZAR.

I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE DOWNTOWN NIGHTLIFE SAFETY COLLECTIVE AND A REGIONAL MANAGER FOR TOTAL ALLIANCE SECURITY.

MORE IMPORTANTLY, I'M HERE REPRESENTING DOZENS OF BUSINESS OWNERS ALONG THE MAIN STREET CORRIDOR WHO HAVE SIGNED THEIR NAMES TO A MANDATE FOR A CHANGE.

AS WE STAND LESS THAN 90 DAYS FROM THE WORLD CUP, THE EYES OF THE WORLD ARE MOVING TOWARD HOUSTON.

WE HAVE INVESTED MILLIONS IN OUR DOWNTOWN INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT WE HAVE A CRITICAL GAP IN OUR HUMAN INFRASTRUCTURE.

OUR POLICE EMS AND EMS ARE AT CAPACITY ON A BUSY SATURDAY NIGHT.

THE SERVICE GAP BETWEEN PRIVATE VENUE DOORS AND SIDEWALK IS WHERE CHAOS HAPPENS.

THROUGH OUR JOINT COMMAND.

OUR THREE AGENCIES MOVE AS ONE, BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN HOSPITALITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.

WE PROTECT THE INVESTMENT.

WE ENSURE THAT MAIN STREET PROMENADE REMAINS A WORLD CLASS ENVIRONMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS.

THE FUNDING IS THERE BETWEEN THE TEXAS MAJOR EVENTS REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM AND FEMA'S WORLD CUP GRANT.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS SET ASIDE DOLLARS TO PAY FOR THIS SURGE.

WE ARE ASKING THE CITY AND THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT TO PARTNER WITH US NOW TO ACTIVATE, ACTIVATE THIS SHOVEL READY SAFETY NET.

THE PROPOSED SOLUTION IS THE DNSC OPS RESPONSE DIVISION.

THE DNSC PROPOSES A DISTRICT LEVEL PUBLIC SAFETY IMPROVEMENT FRAMEWORK, NOT ANOTHER INDEPENDENT SECURITY CONTRACT, BUT A UNIFIED OPERATING SYSTEM OF FOR THE CORRIDOR.

IT, UH, IT PROVIDES UNIFIED COORDINATION, ESTABLISHES A SINGLE ACCOUNTABLE RESPONSE LAYER, CONNECTING VENUES, CONTRACTORS, UH, SEAL SECURITY, PRIVATE SECURITY BLOCK BY BLOCK, AND, UH, OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS INTO ONE SHARED SITUATIONAL AWARENESS ENVIRONMENT.

PROACTIVE PREVENTION.

IT FOCUSES ON EARLY STAGE VERBAL DEESCALATION, CORRIDOR FLOW MANAGEMENT, AND PREVENTING ALCOHOL RELATED INCIDENCES FROM SPILLING OVER INTO PUBLIC SPACES.

UH, OUR OPERATIONAL READINESS, UH, IT'S, IT'S OPERATIONAL READY NOW FEATURING A FEE, UH, A PHASED 1530 DAY AND 45 DAY ROLLOUT PLAN TO ENSURE STABILIZATION BEFORE PEAK INTERNATIONAL EVENTS.

THE FINANCIAL FRAMEWORK, THIS IS A NECESSARY INVESTMENT.

THIS PROPOSAL ACKNOWLEDGES A REQUIRED FINANCIAL COMMITMENT FROM THE DISTRICT.

HOWEVER, THIS IS STRUCTURED AS A STRATEGIC INVESTMENT.

YOUR, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.

WE'RE GOOD.

COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.

UM, MRS. THANK YOU FOR COMING AND, UM, YOUR PRESENTATION.

BUT, UH, I JUST LIKE TO ASK WHAT, WHAT IS, WHAT IS IT THAT YOU ARE ASKING? UH, WELL, SO AT THE END, I, I'M JUST LOOKING FOR, FOR Y'ALL SUPPORT IN, IN GETTING THIS TOGETHER WITH THE DISTRICT AND THE, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS, UH, GETTING A JOINT MEETING TOGETHER WITH, WITH OUR CURRENT CONTRACTORS AND SEE IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S FEASIBLE FOR THE MAIN STREET DISTRICT.

I AM A PART OF THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, UH, AND I'VE SEEN IT, I'VE SEEN, I'VE

[01:55:01]

BUT I DIDN'T SEE IT BECAUSE I'M PART OF THE NIGHTLIFE, SO I ONLY SEE THE EFFECTS.

I, I MEAN, THE HOMELESS ISSUES SEEMS A LITTLE MORE, UH, PROBLEMATIC THAN IT HAS BEEN.

UH, THE FIGHTS, UH, I'VE, I'VE SEEN A LITTLE, A LITTLE OUTTA HAND.

UH, AND I JUST, I JUST, I JUST, I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO GET AHEAD OF THE CURVE BEFORE WORLD CUP, MAN.

IT JUST, IT'S A, IT CONCERNS ME.

IT CONCERNS A LOT OF THE BUSINESS OWNERS, A LOT OF THE EMPLOYEES, UH, WE'RE JUST CONCERNED THAT WE'RE JUST NOT READY FOR SECURITY.

ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT, THAT THERE'S NOT A POSITIVE APPROACH TO WHAT'S ALREADY BEING DONE? OH, AB ABSOLUTELY.

NO, I THINK THE IDEA IS THERE.

IT'S, IT'S JUST, IT'S THIS IS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN GATHERED, UH, WITH THE, LIKE MY PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OWNERS, THE, THE, UH, SERVICE INDUSTRY WORKERS AS WELL.

I THINK IT COULD BE, UH, IT COULD BE RUN A LITTLE MORE COHESIVELY FOR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, TO NOT BE, TO BE MORE, UH, HOW WOULD WE SAY, UH, JUST REPRESENT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WORLD CUP COMES, WE'RE GONNA HAVE SO MANY INTERNATIONAL PEOPLE HERE, UH, VISITING.

I MEAN, IT COULD BE, UH, FUTURE BUSINESS PROSPECTS FOR HOUSTON.

I MEAN, YOU'RE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT ALL THE MONEY THAT WE'RE PUTTING INTO IT, BUT AFTER 11 O'CLOCK, ALL THE PUBLIC SAFETY STUFF STOPS.

AND, AND OUR PRIME HOURS ARE FROM 11 TO TO THREE O'CLOCK.

AND THAT'S THE SAFETY OF THE WORKERS, SAFETY OF THE, OF THE, UH, OF THE PATRONS.

UH, YOU KNOW, OUT THERE WE WOULD HAVE EMS ON STAFF.

UH, SO IT WOULD BE THE, THE MINOR TRIAGE OUT THERE, LIKE FOR INTOX, THINGS LIKE THAT TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE CITY, YOU KNOW, WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO CALL THE, YOU KNOW, POLICE OR, OR MEDICAL SERVICES.

SOMETHING THAT WE COULD TREAT ON IT ON ITS OWN.

I MEAN, JUST, JUST SETTING A NEW STANDARD FOR THE, THE NIGHTLIFE DISTRICT.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

RANDALL BISHOP OPAL JACKSON, ANTHONY WYNN, ANDREW GUSTAVO, DRE ANTOINE.

NO, JULIAN.

JULIANA ROBBIE TO BE FOLLOWED BY LESLIE BURROW.

UNFORTUNATELY, HOUSTON IS BECOMING WIDELY

THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY.

UM, JUST AS A DISCLAIMER, I HAVE A HEALTH CONDITION THAT CAN CAUSE ME TO BE SHORT OF BREATH, SO PLEASE JUST BEAR WITH ME AS I SPEAK THIS AFTERNOON.

I WANNA TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KILLING AND EUTHANIZING BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT THE SAME THING.

EUTHANASIA IS A MERCIFUL DECISION MADE TO RELIEVE SUFFERING FOR ANIMALS WHO ARE HOPELESSLY ILL OR IMMEDIATELY SUFFERING.

BUT WHEN HEALTHY, TREATABLE, MANAGEABLE, OR REHABILITATIVE ANIMALS ARE INTENTIONALLY DESTROYED BECAUSE OF SPACE LIMITATIONS THAT IS KILLING BARK USES KILLING AS AN INVENTORY CONTROL METHOD.

IT IS NOT EUTHANASIA, AND THERE IS NOTHING HUMANE ABOUT IT.

WE, AS TAXPAYERS AND HOUSTONIANS DO NOT APPROVE OF THIS REPRESENTATION OF US.

PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THAT IN THE ANIMAL WELFARE FIELD, THESE WORDS HAVE BEEN USED INTERCHANGEABLY.

WHEN THESE WORDS ARE USED CASUALLY, IT LOWERS THE STANDARD OF HUMANE TREATMENT AND CREATES CONFUSION.

HOUSTON SPARK SHELTER TAKES IN ROUGHLY 25,000 TO 30,000 ANIMALS EVERY YEAR.

AND ITS LIVE RELEASE RATE WAS ONLY ABOUT 80% IN 2025.

WELL BELOW THE 90% BENCHMARK THAT HUE SHELTERING COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE ACHIEVED.

THIS TELLS US SOMETHING IMPORTANT.

THIS IS NOT SIMPLY A RESOURCE PROBLEM, IT IS A POLICY CHOICE.

BETTER POLICIES LEAD TO BETTER STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES, BETTER ACCOUNTABILITY AND BETTER OUTCOMES.

[02:00:01]

KNOWN ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR HOW MANY ANIMALS ARE DYING IN OUR SHELTERS.

AND THAT SHOULD CONCERN US ALL.

HOUSTON IS ONE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST INFLUENTIAL CITIES IN AMERICA.

WE SHOULD BE KNOWN FOR LEADERSHIP AND COMPASSION.

THE SAME COMPASSION WE HAVE SEEN TIME AND AGAIN FROM OUR CITIZENS DURING OUR OWN NATURAL DISASTERS, IN OUR IN EMERGENCIES.

NOT FOR HOW MANY ANIMALS DIE IN OUR SHELTERS.

HOW CAN WE HELP BARK PROVIDE LIFE AFFIRMING OPTIONS FOR EVERY ANIMAL, EVERY TIME, AND ADOPT HUMANE TREATMENT AS A CORE VALUE.

ANIMALS SHOULD NOT, SHOULD ONLY DIE IN OUR SHELTERS WHEN THEY CANNOT BE SAVED, NOT WHEN WE FAIL TO TRY.

THE REST OF THE COUNTRY IS WATCHING US.

WE MUST DO BETTER.

NEXT, LESLIE BURROW TO BE FOLLOWED BY BENNY FREEMAN.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR WHITMEYER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK THIS AFTERNOON.

UH, MY NAME IS LESLIE BURROW.

I'M A 21 YEAR RESIDENT OF HARRIS COUNTY.

I'M A BUSINESS PROFESSIONAL, A MOM OF FOUR KIDS, AVID DOG LOVER AND OWNER.

AND IN RECENT YEARS, AN ANIMAL WELFARE ADVOCATE.

I SPECIFICALLY HAVE RESCUED FROM THE KILL LIST AND FOSTERED MANY DOGS FROM THE CITY SHELTER, THREE OF WHICH THAT ARE STILL CURRENTLY IN MY HOME AND CARE.

THE REASON I'M HERE TODAY IS TO PLEAD FOR YOUR SUPPORT AS THE AUTHORITY THAT OVERSEES THE HOUSTON CITY SHELTER.

BARK THE NUMBER OF WONDERFUL HEALTHY DOGS THAT ARE BEING KILLED THERE.

EACH WEEK MUST STOP.

THE POLICIES THERE MUST CHANGE SUCH THAT KILLING, QUOTE UNQUOTE EUTHANASIA SHOULD ONLY BE ALLOWED.

IT IS AS IT IS INTENDED WHEN MEDICALLY NECESSARY.

AND TO PREVENT FURTHER SUFFERING, THIS CAN BE ACHIEVED BY ALLOCATING THE PROPER AMOUNT OF FUNDING AND SUPPORT TO THESE ABANDONED ANIMALS THAT NEED OUR HELP.

GOD HAS GIVEN US, AND SPECIFICALLY YOU IN THIS CASE, DOMINION OVER THE CARE OF THESE ANGELIC CREATURES THAT HE SENT HERE TO NURTURE US.

I ASK YOU TO SEARCH YOUR HEART AND ASK YOURSELF, DO YOU THINK GOD WOULD APPROVE OF THE POLICIES AND SUPPORT OF THE HOMELESS ANIMALS THAT COME INTO BARK? IT'S 3:45 PM ALMOST RIGHT NOW.

THERE ARE 20 DOGS ON THE KILL LIST TODAY.

21 OF THESE ANGELS IS BEING LETHALLY INJECTED AS WE SPEAK, AND THE OTHERS ARE RIGHT BEHIND THEM.

THIS GOES ON DAILY AT THIS SHELTER AND THERE ARE WONDERFUL, ALL WONDERFUL DOGS ALL WANTING TO BE LOVED, WANTING A HOME, WANTING THEIR PERSON.

I BEG YOU TO SEARCH YOUR HEART AND SOULS AND STAND UP TO CHANGE THE POLICIES AND FUNDING FOR THE CITY'S SHELTER UNDER YOUR CONTROL.

I ASK ALL OF YOU TO START FOLLOWING THE VOLUNTEER PAGES FOR BARK DAILY AS I DO LOOK AT THESE INNOCENT VOICELESS FACES OF THESE PUPS EACH DAY THAT ARE TERRIFIED THERE.

AND THEN LETHALLY INJECTED.

IF YOU DO, I BELIEVE THAT YOU WILL WANT TO WORK WITH ME AND MY TEAM, HARRIS COUNTY PAUL, AND ORDER TO CULTIVATE IMMEDIATE AND FUTURE CHANGE FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S PETS.

NEXT BENNY FREEMAN, MICHAEL BLOODWORTH TO BE FOLLOWED BY DENNIS SULLIVAN, MAYOR COUNCIL.

GOOD EVENING.

IS WOMEN'S MONTH, AND I'VE BEEN DOING THOSE PRESENTATIONS FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS.

LAST TIME I WAS HERE, MAYOR BOB WAS IN THAT CHAIR.

SO IT'S BEEN A WHILE.

I AM THE, UH, VOLUNTEER AT THE 1940 AIR TERMINAL MUSEUM AT HOBBY AIRPORT, WHICH YOU MAY HAVE BEEN SEEING LATELY IN THE NEWS SINCE.

IT HAS UNFORTUNATELY CLOSED DOWN FROM A LACK OF FUNDING.

UH, I'VE BEEN A VOLUNTEER THERE FOR 28 YEARS.

I'M THE HISTORIAN THERE.

I DO THE EDUCATIONAL AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH.

AND DURING THAT TIME I'VE DONE OVER 250 MEETINGS AROUND THE CITY WITH GROUPS, CIVIC GROUPS, AND AT THE MUSEUM, TWO GROUPS.

I INITIATED THE STUDIES THAT RESULTED IN WHAT'S CALLED HOUSTON'S BLACK AVIATION HISTORY AND ALSO WOMEN'S HISTORY OF HOUSTON'S WOMEN IN HOUSTON'S AVIATION HISTORY, WHICH THIS

[02:05:01]

BUT I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DO ONE SATURDAY BECAUSE THE BUILDING IS CLOSED.

THANKS TO FACEBOOK.

I'LL BE DOING IT ONLINE, BUT IT TO A DIFFERENT AUDIENCE BECAUSE I'VE BEEN ABLE TO REACH OUT DIRECTLY TO CITIZENS.

AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALSO COMING UP TO THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY FOR THE HOUSTON AIRPORT.

CHOOSE YOUR DATE, 1927 OR 1928.

BUT WE'RE COMING UP TO 100 YEARS OUR BUILDING.

AND IT'S OUR BUILDING.

IT'S MY BUILDING.

IT'S YOUR BUILDING.

AS I SAY IN MY PRESENTATIONS, IF YOU ARE A CITIZEN, THIS IS YOUR BUILDING.

OUR BUILDING GOING TO BE, SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON THE CENTER OF A 100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY THAT IS COMING UP.

HOWEVER, THE CITY WANTS TO CELEBRATE IT, BUT AT THE MOMENT, WE'RE CLOSED, WHICH MEANS WE'RE NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC OR ANYONE, ANYONE ELSE COMING IN.

I TOOK IT ON MY, UNDER MY OWN ENDEAVOR YEARS AGO TO COME UP WITH A PROGRAM CALLED HOUSTON'S AVIATION HISTORY.

AND THANKS TO THE MUSEUM BEING THERE THANKS TO ITS ARCHIVES, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO RESEARCH THAT HAS REVEALED THINGS LIKE HOUSTON'S BLACK AVIATION HISTORY, WHICH GOES ALL THE WAY BACK TO 1925.

WOMEN GO BACK TO 1919 IN HOUSTON'S AVIATION HISTORY.

SO THERE ARE A LOT OF, UH, THERE ARE A LOT OF SCHEDULES COMING UP.

AS YOU KNOW, THE, UH, STATE HAS PUT FORWARD ITS PHASE TWO OF ACQUIRING THE BUILDING FOR THE, UH, THE TEXAS NATURAL RESOURCES OR WHATEVER, STHC.

CURRENTLY IT IS A CITY PROPERTY AND, UH, WE HOPE WE CAN MAINTAIN IT AS A CITY PROPERTY OF GREATER CONCERN.

TO ME, THE BUILDING ITSELF IS PROTECTED AS A NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE, AS WELL AS A PROTECTED HOUSTON LANDMARK, WHICH I WAS ABLE TO GET A FEW YEARS AGO.

BUT THERE ARE OTHER BUILDINGS ON THE WEST RAMP THAT NEED YOUR, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.

UH, I DO KNOW THE STATE HISTORICAL COMMISSION IS REVIEWING OPERATIONS AND UH, I KNOW JOHN NOW HOUSTON IS VERY MUCH FOCUSED ON IT.

SO I THINK VERY SOON SOMETHING GOOD WILL OCCUR AT THE TERMINAL AND IT WILL BE CITY PROPERTY.

WELL, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

YEAH, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS OR QUESTION.

COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ.

COUNCILOR FLICKINGER COUNCILMAN.

AND SO THE MARRIAGE IS SHARED.

UH, WE'VE STARTED LOOKING INTO IT AS SOON AS WE FOUND OUT AS WELL.

IT'S IN DISTRICT.

I, IT'S UH, IT'S, IT'S REALLY A GYM TO BE THERE AT THE HOBBY AREA WHERE A LOT OF CIVIC CLUBS HAVE ACTUALLY MET THERE.

I KNOW THAT THERE'S DIFFERENT EVENTS, UH, WEDDINGS HAVE HAVE HAPPENED THERE AS WELL.

UH, I WANT SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK, MR. BLOODWORTH, FOR VOLUNTEERING AND SHARING THAT HISTORY, UH, WITH THE RESIDENTS, NOT JUST THERE IN THE HOBBY AREA, BUT QUITE FRANKLY WITH THE HOUSTONIANS.

UM, THERE CURRENTLY ARE NO PLANS.

UH, THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM DOES OWN, OWN OR MANAGES THE BUILDING, AND IT IS A CITY PROPERTY.

UH, BUT WE'LL LOOK INTO, UH, MORE INFORMATION TO SEE WHAT, WHAT IS GOING ON.

AND MY OFFICE IS HAPPY TO KEEP YOU CONNECTED TO THAT INFORMATION AS WELL.

WELL, I HAVE THAT INFORMATION ON THE HISTORY OF THE OTHER HISTORIC BUILDINGS ONTO WEST RAMP.

I KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN OUT YES, SIR.

AND VISITED THE BUILDING.

HAS ANYONE ELSE HERE BEEN OUT TO VISIT THE 1940, YOUR 1940 AIR TURNER BEAUTIFUL BUILDING MUSEUM.

WELL, YOU ARE ALL WELCOME.

I USED TO FLY OUTTA THERE ALL THE TIME.

JUST KIDDING, JUST KIDDING.

COUNCILOR FLICKINGER, ME AND ME AND COUNCILOR FLICKINGER, ME AND WILLIE DAVIS.

I THOUGHT I READ THAT THERE WAS A FUNDRAISER OR SOMETHING THAT WAS CANCELED.

IS THAT CORRECT OR? WELL, WE HAVE A VARIETY OF FUNDRAISERS, UH, DURING THE YEAR.

I MEAN, I'VE BEEN A VOLUNTEER THEN SINCE 98, AND THEY TRY AND HAVE A FUNDRAISER EVERY YEAR.

UH, THE LEADERSHIP OF THE MUSEUM HAS BEEN NEGLIGENT IN MANY AREAS IN TRYING TO GET THAT TOGETHER AND DO THE FUNDRAISING.

UH, AND IT'S, UH, WE ARE A VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION.

NO ONE GETS PAID.

AND BELIEVE ME, RIGHT NOW, NO ONE IS GETTING PAID.

SO WE DO WHAT WE CAN WITH WHAT WE GOT.

AND THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING HERE, IS TO SOLICIT SUPPORT AND RECOGNITION.

RECOGNITION.

THE LAST TIME I MET WITH A HOUSTON FIRST PERSON AT THE AIRPORT, AT THE, AT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AIRPORT.

AND I SAID, DID YOU KNOW THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE AIRPORT DEPARTMENT HAVE A MUSEUM? AND HE SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD OF THAT.

AND I SAID, WELL, IF YOU LOOK OUT THE WINDOW THERE, YOU CAN SEE IT OVER ON THE OTHER SIDE.

WELL, HOW ABOUT THAT? HE SAYS, I'LL HAVE TO COME VISIT SOMETIME.

AND THAT'S, UH, THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT THAT WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED.

WE'RE NOT ON THE LIST.

WE RECEIVE NO FUNDING FROM A HOTEL, MOTEL

[02:10:01]

TAX.

WE RECEIVE WHATEVER MONEY COMES THROUGH THE DOOR.

AND I'M HERE TO SOLICIT YOUR SUPPORT.

WE NEED ANOTHER 40 YEARS.

NEXT DENNIS SULLIVAN TO BE FOLLOWED BY TJ BAKER.

GOOD MORNING.

ALRIGHT, SO I JUST WANT TO GET STRAIGHT TO THE POINT.

THIS RODEO HAS BEEN A MESS.

I THINK WE ALL CAN AGREE.

UM, YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN ME COME UP HERE AND SPEAK ABOUT THIS CULTURE BEFORE, AND I FEEL LIKE THIS IS A PERFECT TIME TO REALLY LIKE, PUT A SPOTLIGHT TO EVERYTHING THAT WAS GOING ON.

UM, ONCE, ONCE AGAIN, I'M NOT PUTTING A SPOTLIGHT ON MYSELF.

UM, I'M HERE TO BUILD A BRIDGE TO HELP UPLIFT THE VOICES, TO HAVE LONG CARRY THIS TRADITION.

I'M RETURNING WITH ATTENTION AND STEPPING FORWARD AND HELP GUIDE THIS CONVERSATION FORWARD.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATION.

I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN TIRED, AND THE PEOPLE THAT I'M CONNECTED TO AND THE VOICES THAT I HEAR EVERY SINGLE DAY, WE'RE TIRED AS WELL.

UM, SPEAK SOLELY TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY THAT HAS SHOWED OUT AT THE RODEO THIS YEAR.

AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SAYING, UM, THE HIGH QUALITY SIDE OF THIS CULTURE.

WE DON'T AGREE WITH THIS.

WE DON'T AGREE WITH PEOPLE COMING IN AND UTILIZING THIS AS PROPAGANDA, PUTTING THIS OUT THE WRONG MESSAGE.

EVERYBODY COMING HERE JUST TO LOOK GOOD AND ALL KIND OF STUFF.

WE GOTTA CUT THIS OUT.

SO I WANT TO, I, I, ME, I'M A PART OF A, UM, I'M PART OF THE ORGANIZATION, AGRICULTURE EDUCATION COMMITTEE FOR THE RODEO.

AND, UM, I STAND HERE WITH DEEP REVERENCE FOR THE LIFESTYLE THAT WE TRULY REPRESENT.

OKAY? THERE'S A PROFESSIONALISM THAT, THAT WE NEED TO UPHOLD WHEN WE HAVE, WHEN WE'RE A PART OF THIS, WE WEAR THESE BADGES WITH, WITH HONOR, YOU KNOW, WE TAKE THE TIME TO VOLUNTEER AND REALLY RECOGNIZE THE FOUNDATION OF THE RODEO AND WHAT IT REALLY MEANS TO OUR LIFESTYLES.

UM, I WANNA RECOGNIZE A FEW, FEW VOICES.

UM, LARRY CALLIS, HE'S THE, THE OWNER OF THE BLACK COWBOY MUSEUM OUT IN ROSENBERG, WHO'S HE'S PRESERVING OUR HISTORY, IS MAKING SURE THAT WE ALL KNOW THE RICHNESS AND THE, THE QUALITY AND THE IMPORTANCE BEHIND WHERE WE'VE COME FROM AS TEXANS.

UM, MISS TAMMY MCKNIGHT, SHE'S RODEO QUEEN OUT HERE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.

THE VRY SISTERS, MY DEAR FRIEND, MARY HILL, EIGHT SECONDS, MARGARET FRI, SHERRY REED AND OTHER VOICES WHO ARE MAKING SURE THAT THE, THE VISUAL SIDE OF THINGS ARE PUTTING OUT.

AND ME, MYSELF, I'M A PHOTOGRAPHER LONG TERM.

UM, I'M A DESIGNER.

I'VE, I'VE WORKED FOR THE CITY, UM, FOR, FOR A LITTLE BIT.

AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I SEE EVERY SINGLE DAY.

MY NEIGHBORHOOD, DISTRICT D UM, THERE'S BEEN A, A LOW QUALITY THAT A LOT OF THE PEOPLE WHO NEED, WHO NEED HELP, THEY'RE NOT GETTING THE RECOGNITION THAT'S NEEDED.

AND WHEN WE HAVE THINGS LIKE THIS GOING ON AT THE RODEO, IT KIND OF CLOUDS WHAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND.

I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN.

YOU REPRESENT THE CLASS AND THE QUALITY OF THE RODEO AND SOMETHING THAT, THAT I, AS A TEXAN, NATIVE TEXAN AM SO PROUD TO HAVE GROWN UP WITH AND, AND JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.

THE TRADITION, THE RESPECT, THE REVERENCE, THE, THE ENTIRE SHOW TO BE PUT ON BY VOLUNTEERS, THREE WEEKS, SO MANY PEOPLE WHO COME THROUGH AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING THAT LEVEL IN WHICH YOU'RE TRYING TO CONVEY AND THE HERITAGE AND ALL THAT GOES INTO IT BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT.

I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND I'M, I'M SORRY THAT THE OTHER SIDE OF IT HAS THIS YEAR.

SEEMS LIKE IT SHOWED OUT ACROSS THE BOARD.

YOU KNOW, AND I, I THINK THAT THERE'S, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO, UH, HOUSTON SPORTS AUTHORITY THE OTHER DAY AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, WHEN YOU START, WHEN YOU START MARK, TRYING TO GIVE A BLACK EYE TO THE RODEO, THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF A BAD, BAD DEAL.

SO, THANK YOU, KEVIN.

EVAN, UH, COUNCILOR EVAN SHAMAR.

YOU HAVE NOT BEEN SPECIFIC IN YOUR ASK, SO IF YOU WANNA TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR JUST A FEW MINUTES FAR AS LIKE, JUST MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND, UM, HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS FOR HOUSTON, BUT MY ACCESS TO HELP, I NEED HELP GETTING CONNECTED TO THE PEOPLE WHO CAN REALLY LIKE PUT THIS OUT.

AND CERTAINLY I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ARE REPRESENTING THE BEST OF DISTRICT D.

UM, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU FINISHED, DID YOU GIVE YOUR ASK? I KNOW YOU SAID THAT YOU WANTED HELP OR WHATEVER, BUT

[02:15:01]

UM, THE RODEO COMMITTEE, UH, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, PEOPLE WHO WE CAN TELL THIS STORY AND PUT IT OUT PROPERLY SO THAT NEXT YEAR WHEN PEOPLE COME, THEY UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S WAY DEEPER THAN JUST LOOKING GOOD AND WEARING SHORT CLOTHES.

YOU UNDERSTAND? WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO THE ACTUAL COMPETITIONS, LEARNING ABOUT THE LIVESTOCK, LEARNING ABOUT THE MARKET, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING WHAT REALLY GOES INTO THE RODEO BECAUSE THAT'S EASY.

THAT'S, THAT'S BEEN MISSED.

THERE'S MANY PEOPLE WHO THINK THAT THE COOKOFF IS JUST THE RODEO.

THEY COME AND THEY SAY, OH, I WENT TO THE RODEO, BUT THEY ONLY WENT TO THE COOKOFF.

IT'S WAY DEEPER THAN THAT.

AND THIS IS HOW PEOPLE TAKE CARE OF THEIR LIVES.

SO I JUST WANT TO CONNECT WITH THE PEOPLE, THE MOVER AND THE SHAKERS WHO CAN HELP PUT THIS MESSAGE OUT THE RIGHT WAY.

COULD, COULD YOU GET WITH THE LADY RIGHT THERE AND WE'LL SEE IF THERE'S ANY WAY WE CAN FACILITATE YOUR ASS.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

THANK Y'ALL.

NEXT, TJ BAKER ALI KAHN TO BE FOLLOWED BY KENYA JOHNSON.

HI EVERYONE.

HOPE YOU'RE HAVING A SURE.

HELLO EVERYONE.

HOPE YOU'RE HAVING A GOOD DAY.

UM, EXCUSE MY DAUGHTER HERE.

I BROUGHT HER, PICKED HER UP STRAIGHT FROM SCHOOL.

UM, IT'S ACTUALLY MY FAVORITE PART OF THE DAY.

UM, WE HAVE THIS RITUAL WHERE SHE WRITES HER NAME DOWN WHEN WE GET TO SCHOOL AND SHE DOES THE CUTEST LITTLE BACKWARDS Z EVERY TIME SHE COMES INTO THE SCHOOL.

AND THEN SHE GIVES ME A BIG HUG WHEN SHE PICKS ME UP.

AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S HONESTLY MY FAVORITE PART OF THE DAY.

ON FEBRUARY 28TH, UNFORTUNATELY, 175 FATHERS WEREN'T ABLE TO PICK UP THEIR DAUGHTERS FROM SCHOOL.

THEY NEVER GOT PICKED UP.

AND IT WAS OUR GOVERNMENT'S MISSILE THAT ACTUALLY STRUCK THIS SPECIFIC SCHOOL AND KILLED 175 INNOCENT LITTLE GIRLS.

AND WHAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT TODAY IS HOUSTONIANS SPECIFICALLY DO NOT BENEFIT FROM THE WAR MORALLY, ECONOMICALLY, OR STRATEGICALLY.

AND THE ASK THAT I HAVE TODAY IS, CAN WE DIVEST THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S PORTFOLIO COMMERCIAL PAPER, INTEREST FROM BNP AND BNY THAT FINANCE THIS SPECIFIC WAR MACHINERY ON A MORAL LEVEL.

YOU KNOW, THE WAR TARGETS INNOCENT CIVILIANS, UNESCO'S WORLD HERITAGE SITES, AND PUTS IRANIANS IN AMERICANS IN HARM'S WAY.

WE SEND OUR FATHERS, OUR BROTHERS, OUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS, INTO A CONFLICT THAT POINTS MISSILES AT SCHOOLS, UH, HOSPITALS AND MOSQUES.

AND THIS WAR HAS ALREADY CLAIMED THE LIVES OF THOUSANDS OF IRANIANS AND DOZENS OF AMERICAN SOLDIERS ON AN ECONOMIC LEVEL.

WE LIVE IN A RICH CITY RIGHT OFF OF I 10, THE THE ENERGY DISTRICT WHERE I LIVE, WHERE THERE'S CONOCO SHELL, EXXON MOBIL.

THOSE COMPANIES, THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS ARE AT RISK OF LOSING THEIR JOBS BECAUSE OF THIS DISRUPTED CAPITAL FLOWS THROUGH, THROUGH THE GULF.

AND SO AT HOME, HOUSTONIANS ARE AT RISK FOR LOSING THEIR JOBS FOR A WAR THAT THE MAJORITY OF US DON'T SUPPORT.

IN FACT, A POLL RECENTLY CAME OUT THAT 60% OF AMERICANS DO NOT SUPPORT THIS WAR, AND MOST AMERICANS ARE GONNA FEEL THIS AT THE GAS PUMP VOLATILITY IN CAPITAL MARKETS AND DISRUPTION THROUGHOUT OUR LIVES.

AND FINALLY, ON A STRATEGIC LEVEL, THIS WAR DOES NOT ADVANCE THE INTERESTS OF AMERICAN PEOPLE, THE WORLD OR THE CLIMATE.

IT ADVANCES THE INTEREST OF A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WHO BENEFIT FROM WAR AND CONFLICT.

AND DON'T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT.

IN FACT, JOSEPH KENT, WHO RESIGNED TODAY, THE, UH, DIRECTOR OF COUNTER-TERRORISM AS A VETERAN WHO WAS DEPLOYED ON 11 TIMES AS A GOLD STAR HUSBAND WHO LOST MY BELOVED WIFE SHANNON, A WAR MANUFACTURED BY ISRAEL, I CANNOT SUPPORT SENDING THE NEXT GENERATION OFF TO DIE IN A WAR THAT SERVES NO BENEFIT TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

BUT NOT TODAY.

I WILL NOT BE SILENT, AND I'M HERE TO CALL ON THIS COUNCIL, WHICH ALSO HOLDS POWERFUL LEVERS.

HOUSTON CURRENTLY HOLDS 300 MILLION IN COMMERCIAL PAPER FROM BNP BU AND BANK OF MONTREAL TOGETHER, MAKING UP 10% OF OUR PORTFOLIO.

I CALL ON THIS CITY, UH, TO DIVES, BEGIN SUSPENDING NEW INVESTMENTS AND DIVESTING FROM THESE SPECIFIC COMPANIES.

AND THIS ISN'T, UH, UNPRECEDENTED.

AND I'LL, I'LL, I'LL WRAP UP MY COMMENT HERE.

UM, THIS ISN'T UNPRECEDENTED.

WE'VE DONE THIS BEFORE IN

[02:20:01]

THE CASE OF SOUTH AFRICA, WHERE WE COLLECTIVELY DIVESTED FROM THESE FUNDS, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.

OKAY, AND I'LL CONCLUDE WITH THIS.

I WANTED TO LEAVE THESE TWO SPECIFIC NOTES WITH, WITH THE CHAMBERS HERE TO CALL ON DIVESTING THE SAME WAY IT TOOK COURAGE FOR ROSA PARKS TO STAND IN THE BUS THAT DAY.

I WANTED TO ASK THIS COUNCIL TO DIVEST FROM THESE SPECIFIC FUNDS.

NEXT, KENYA JOHNSON, CRYSTAL PIPER, UH, MM-HMM .

TO BE FOLLOWED BY CLEMENTE MATHIS.

HELLO, MY NAME IS CRYSTAL PIPER.

IF I COULD HAVE YOUR UNDIVIDED ATTENTION, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

PULL THE MIC DOWN JUST A LITTLE.

THERE YOU GO.

UM, ONE OF YOUR HPD OFFICERS SEVERELY BEAT ME.

I HAVE A MILLION DOLLARS IN MEDICAL BILLS FROM THAT BEATING, SO I HAVE A BRAIN INJURY ALSO.

SO IF I FORGET SOMETHING, PLEASE BEAR WITH ME.

GIVE ME A LITTLE TIME.

ONCE YOUR OFFICER BEAT ME, AND I CAME FORWARD, YOUR HPD OFFICERS AT THE GREENSPOINT STATION TO RETALIATE AGAINST ME FOR COMING FORWARD ON NOVEMBER 23RD, THEY TOOK MY DAUGHTER, SHE'S 15, THEY HELD HER AT THE GREENSPOINT POLICE STATION.

THEY SEVERELY BEAT HER AND THEY RAPED HER.

NINE OF YOUR OFFICERS, I HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND TO YOUR OFFICE, MR. MAYOR, SINCE NOVEMBER 24TH.

I WANT MY DAUGHTER BACK.

THE ONE OF THE HPD OFFICERS, WHEN HE APPROACHED ME, HE SAID, YOU WILL NEVER SEE HER AGAIN.

IT HAS BEEN FOUR MONTHS, AND I HAVE NOT SAW MY DAUGHTER.

I HAVE NEVER BEEN AWAY FROM HER.

WITH THE EXCEPTION OF HER GOING TO SCHOOL.

I WANT MY DAUGHTER BACK.

HE SAID THAT HE KNEW A CPS WORKER.

HE CALLED HER ON HIS PHONE, SHE FILED A FALSE REPORT.

SHE ASSIGNED HERSELF TO THE REPORT, AND I HAVE NOT SAW MY DAUGHTER.

SHE WALKED UP TO ME IN PLAIN CLOTHES AND SHE SAID, B***H, WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND YOU WILL NEVER SEE YOUR DAUGHTER AGAIN.

WHEN SHE TOLD ME TO STAND BY MY CAR, I WALKED UP TO WHERE MY DAUGHTER WAS AND THE, THE OFFICERS AND THE CPS WORKER, SHE TOLD MY DAUGHTER, YOU BETTER SAY CRYSTAL DID THIS TO YOU.

WHEN THE OFFICERS AND THE CPS WORKER REALIZED THAT I WAS STANDING BEHIND HER, SHE TOLD THE OFFICER, HURRY UP, PUT HER BACK IN THE CAR.

SHE DROVE OUTTA THE PARKING LOT SO FAST AND THOUGHT SHE WAS GONNA HIT THE GATE.

THE OFFICER THEN PROCEEDED TO KEY UP ON THE RADIO TO CALL THE OTHER OFFICERS THAT WERE IN THE POLICE STATION TO COME OUT.

THEY SURROUNDED ME AND MY DAUGHTER WITH THEIR HANDS ON THEIR GUNS, AND THEY HAD A LOOK IN THEIR EYES LIKE, GIMME A REASON TO KILL YOU.

AND THEY TOLD ME TO GET OFF THE PROPERTY AND THAT I BETTER NOT TRY TO REACH OUT TO MY DAUGHTER.

AND I HAVE NOT SAW HER YET.

AND I JUST WANNA KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS ARE GONNA DO ABOUT IT, BECAUSE I WANT MY DAUGHTER BACK.

UM, AM I ABLE TO NO, MA'AM.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UH, MY CHIEF STAFF CONTACT HPD AND, UH, LOOK INTO THE MERIT ON VARIOUS OH, INTERNAL AFFAIRS.

UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST AS WELL.

SO THANK YOU, CYNTHIA.

CLEMENT NEXT, CLEMENTA MATHIS.

I DON'T THINK HE'S HERE.

MAX EMILIANO DIAZ.

JACOB CLEAGE.

JACOB TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOSEPH AM.

OMAR, LOOK, LOOK, FIVE DAYS LEFT FOR THE RODEO, SO PLEASE GO THERE LIKE MAYOR WHITMEYER AND DO A GOOD JOB WITH THE CITY.

OKAY? THANK YOU.

UM,

[02:25:01]

UM, AND ANYWAY, THIS EMPLOYEE, THE RODEO AND, AND NAMED ANGELA HERNANDEZ WAS ON THE K UH, THE HOUSTON HELLO HOUSTON RADIO SHOW.

AND, UH, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT EMPLOYEES AT THE RODEO.

AND I SAID, I WISH TO COMMENT TO HER THAT EVEN THOUGH I AM PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY DIS DISABLED, DISABLED, I'M AN EMPLOYEE OF NRG PARK, AND I LOVE WORKING WITH THE RODEO.

NOW, IN THE NEXT TWO DAYS, MAYOR, UH, WHITMAR WAS THERE, AND, UH, HE, HE, UH, HE'S, UH, I SAID, AND WOLF, DR.

CHRIS COLEMAN.

AND I, I ASKED HIM, AM I A GOOD, UH, PROMOTER OF THE RODEO? AND, AND WELL, THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO SAY.

AM I A GOOD PROMOTER OF THE RODEO, MR. WILER? YES.

OH, AND, UH, ONE LAST THING, UH, IS MS. COUNCIL MEMBER ELLI ALCORN ALCO HAS A, A, A GREEN JACKET ON, AND YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS? IT'S ST.

PATRICK'S DAY'S.

SO LOOK, I HAVE A GREEN PANTS ON, AND SO DOES MISS, UH, AND COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER, SHE'S A GOOD IRISH LADY ALSO.

NEXT, JOSEPH, AM OMAR, HOW YOU DOING TODAY? UH, UH, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REAGAN NUMBERS FOR ROCK ECONOMICS IS THAT, UH, WE DIDN'T HAVE PEOPLE WHO STEALING WORK FOR THE GOVERNMENT.

STEAL YOUR FOOD STAMP YOUR HOUSING VOUCHER.

SI GUY, THEY NOT KIDNAP YOUR MAMA AND YOUR GRANDMAMA.

I MEAN, IT'S GOTTA BE OUTRAGEOUS.

THEY DON'T KNOW PEOPLE, POOR PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY POOR MAMA NOT TO BE ABLE TO BUY FOOD BY, UH, UH, SORT OF WATER AND COOKIES WITH THE FOOD STAMP CARD.

THAT'S RIDICULOUS.

A DEMOCRATIC PARTY LET GO BY THE 16 STEP OF BAR NUMBERS REAL FAST.

I THINK I STOPPED AT DECREASE SOCIAL SECURITY, INCREASING POWER BY CREATING LESS.

THAT JOB ACROSS AMERICA.

ASK MEDIA.

I PEOPLE HA HA HA HA.

ALL WE PART WAS A HOLLYWOOD RICHARD FAMOUS DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL PARTY, BUT CONTRIBUTION AND APPEARED LIBERAL.

HA HA HA HA.

USE MR. CHAIR MARTIAL ARTS, EVERYTHING, WHETHER IT CAME FROM THE MASTER PEOPLE STILL STILL LIE, LIE OR NO, JUST TELL THE TRUTH.

THAT'S THE WAY TO BE A GOOD CITIZEN, GOOD SOLDIER.

HA HA HA HA.

IMPORTANT.

ALL GOOD CITIZENS, ALL GOOD SOLDIER PRACTICE WITCHCRAFT ON THE JOB, NEVER COULD DO ANYTHING FOR 'CAUSE, SUE, OF MAKING A DECISION TO MOVE.

IMPORTANT.

BUT GOVERNMENT FOR FREE.

HA HA.

I GOT PEOPLE ON.

NO, NO.

WE'VE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME.

AND I LIKE YOUR GREEN TIE TOO.

IT LOOKS NICE.

WHY? I LOVE YOU.

SAY WHAT YOU POLITICIAN GUYS, ESPECIALLY MEN, YOU KNOW.

WELL, YOU ARE SOME WELL DRESSED MEN.

YOU LOOK, YEAH, I LOVE THE WAY YOU LOOK AT YOUR SUIT.

DADDY, LET ME GET THESE THREE THINGS DOWN.

TWO MORE.

I'M THROUGH, TWO MORE.

I'M THROUGH BROTHER.

AND YOU WON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT YOU THINK, I THINK YOU'RE TRYING TO PROTECT Y'ALL.

I KNOW Y'ALL ROCK OBAMA FANS AND STUFF, BUT GET ME GET THESE THREE AND I'LL BE THROUGH WITH YOU.

16, OKAY? WE'VE BEEN NICE, WE'VE BEEN NICE, A BIG BIT OF GOVERNMENT.

I GOTTA GET ACROSS TOWN, UH, WITHOUT A PAYCHECK'S TIME.

HA HA HA.

EVERYBODY MUST SHOW UP FOR WORK.

GO TO A COLLEGE EDUCATION.

I TELL YOU WHAT, LET ME GET TO THE NEXT SPEAKER.

AND THEN ALL BLACK PEOPLE MUST LEARN TO SPEAK WHITE.

HA HA HA HA.

KEEP THE POOR.

PROBABLY NEVER LOOK THROUGH THE SEAT IF THEY OUGHT HAVE ALREADY.

DON'T EVEN PAY THE POLITICIAN.

NO MONEY.

DON'T PAY THE TEACHER.

HA, DON'T PAY THE TEACHER.

HA.

NEXT, DUARDO DURAN, WHICH I DON'T SEE.

THIS COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS THAT HIM, HE'S, OH, I'M SORRY.

HERE, I DIDN'T SEE YOU.

INCREASED COMPUTING POWER WITH THE DATA CENTERS, THE AI DATA CENTERS ALSO BROUGHT TO US IN THE UNITED STATES BY JOHN DONALD TRUMP WITH HIS HALF A TRILLION DOLLAR, UM, UH, UH, INITIATIVE.

I FORGET WHAT HE CALLED IT NOW, THE NAME OF IT, ESCAPE THING.

BUT HE ANNOUNCED IT ON HIS FIRST FULL DAY IN OFFICE.

STARGATE.

STARGATE, THAT'S IT.

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.

STAR PROJECT STARGATE.

HALF A TRILLION DOLLAR, UH, PLAN TO PARTNER WITH BIG TECH TO BUILD OUT ALL THESE DATA CENTERS.

UH, SO BETWEEN THE, UH, THE, THE INCREASED AI INFRASTRUCTURE WITH THE NEW DATA CENTERS AND THE DECREASED POPULATION THROUGH WORLD WAR III AND VACCINES AND, AND, AND POISONING OUR FOOD AND AIR AND EVERYTHING THAT WE SEE GOING ON, IT'S ALL RELATED.

THEY WILL BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE LIFE FROM CRADLE TO GRAVE OF EVERY SINGLE INDIVIDUAL ON EARTH.

THAT'S THE PLAN.

PARTNERSHIP PROJECT FOUR.

WHETHER THEY'LL PULL IT OFF BY 2030, OR EVEN IN MY LIFETIME, I, I'M TURNING 60.

THAT'S GOOD.

FOUR YEARS OLD.

UM, I, I WAS JUST, UH, FOLLOWING PATRICK WOOD, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.

STOP.

I'LL, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL BRING SOME HANDOUTS

[02:30:01]

[RECESS]

STAND, UH, RECESS AT NINE IN THE MORNING OF THE APPOINTMENT OR REAPPOINTMENT OF THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER 16, CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS UPTOWN.

ITEM TWO, REQUEST FOR MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OR REAPPOINTMENT OF THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS TO THE UPTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

ITEM THREE, REQUEST FOR MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OR REAPPOINTMENT OF THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER 17, CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS MEMORIAL CITY.

ITEM FOUR, REQUEST FOR MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OR REAPPOINTMENT OF THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS TO THE MEMORIAL CITY REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

ITEM FIVE, RECOMMENDATION FROM CITY ATTORNEY TO DEPOSIT THE AMOUNT OF THE AWARD OF SPECIAL COMMISSIONERS INTO THE REGISTRY OF THE COURT TO PAY ALL COST OF COURT IN CONNECTION WITH IMMINENT DOMAIN PROCEEDING STYLE, CITY OF HOUSTON VERSUS RESERVE AT HIGHLAND HEIGHTS LLC FOUR BOOKER LANDFILL, WEST DONOVAN DRAINAGE PROJECT ITEM SIX APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR PURCHASE OF SIGNAL MONITORING SOLUTIONS.

ITEM SEVEN, APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR PURCHASE OF PUBLIC SAFETY RADIOS AND ACCESSORIES.

ITEM EIGHT, AMEND MOTION 2024 DASH 6 97 PREVIOUSLY AMENDED BY MOTION NUMBER 2025 DASH 6 5 9 TO EXTEND THE AWARD THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2031 AND TO INCREASE SPENDING, SPENDING AUTHORITY ON AWARD TO TEXAS OUTHOUSE INC.

FOR PURCHASE OF PORTABLE RESTROOM RENTALS AND SERVICES.

ITEM NINE, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF PROJECT APPLICATION TO HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT TWO.

FISCAL YEAR 2026 THROUGH 2027.

ITEM 10 AMENDED AND RESTATED ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF ONE OR MORE SERIES OF CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT BONDS SERIES K ONE ITEM 11, ORDINANCE REPEALING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2023 DASH 1 99 IN ITS ENTIRETY, AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES BY ADDING ARTICLE 23 MANAGED PEDESTRIAN AREA TO CHAPTER 40, STREETS AND SIDEWALKS, AMENDING SECTIONS 22 DASH 1540 DASH EIGHT AND 40 DASH 10.1 BY ADDING REFERENCES TO THE NEW ARTICLE.

ITEM 12, ORDINANCE DESIGNATING CERTAIN BLOCKS OF MAIN STREET AND THE PEDESTRIAN AREAS OF CERTAIN BLOCKS OF ADJACENT SIDE STREETS AS A MANAGED PEDESTRIAN AREA IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 23, CHAPTER 40 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

ITEM 13, ORDINANCE ACCEPTING INDIVIDUAL PROPOSALS FROM INSURANCE CARRIERS LISTED A IG SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, ARCH SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, ASPEN SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, ACCESS SURPLUS INSURANCE COMPANY, BEASLEY EXCESS AND SURPLUS INSURANCE, INC.

CAL A RECIPROCAL INSURANCE EXCHANGE.

CANOPIUS, US INSURANCE INC.

COLUMBIA CASUALTY COMPANY, RUM AND FORSTER SPECIALTY INSURANCE, INC.

COLUMBIA CASUALTY COMPANY, RUM AND FORSTER SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, EMERALD BAY SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY.

ENDURANCE.

AMERICAN SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY.

EVANSTON INSURANCE COMPANY, EVEREST INDEMNITY INSURANCE COMPANY, VERA SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, INDIAN HARBOR INSURANCE COMPANY, IRON SHORE SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY.

LEXINGTON INSURANCE COMPANY MS. TRANSVERSE SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY MSIG.

SPECIALTY INSURANCE.

USA INC.

MOUNT HAWLEY INSURANCE COMPANY RENAISSANCE, RE, NATIONAL FIRE AND MARINE INSURANCE COMPANY.

NAUTILUS INSURANCE COMPANY NAVIGATOR.

SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, IAN SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, ALL REPUBLIC UNION INSURANCE COMPANY PARTNER INSURANCE SOLUTIONS, BERMUDA LIMITED, PRINCETON, ENS LIONS INSURANCE COMPANY RSUI.

INDEMNITY COMPANY, SOUTH LAKE SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY.

SPECIALTY BUILDERS INSURANCE COMPANY, SPINNAKER SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, STAR SURPLUS LIONS INSURANCE COMPANIES, STARSTONE SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, SUDDEN SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, SWISS RE, CORPORATE SOLUTIONS CAPACITY INSURANCE CORPORATION, TEXAS INSURANCE COMPANY, TOKYO MARINE AMERICA INSURANCE COMPANY, UNDERWRITERS OF LLOYD'S UNITED SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, WESTCHESTER SURPLUS ALLIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY AND WESTFIELD INSURANCE WHICH ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE LAYERED PROPERTY INSURANCE PROGRAM AND

[02:35:01]

AND APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF GENERAL PROPERTY INSURANCE FOR THE PROPOSED CITYWIDE INSURANCE PO POLICY FOR ALL SCHEDULE CITY OF HOUSTON LOCATIONS EXCLUDING HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATE CORPORATION LEASED PROPERTIES.

ITEM 14, ORDINANCE ACCEPTING INDIVIDUAL PROPOSALS FROM INSURANCE CAR CARRIERS LISTED NATIONAL FIRE AND MARINE INSURANCE COMPANY, ARCH SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, ASPEN SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, ACCESS SURPLUS INSURANCE COMPANY BEASLEY EXCESS AND SURPLUS INSURANCE INC.

CANOPIUS US INSURANCE INC.

COLUMBIA CASUALTY COMPANY, DALEWOOD SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, ENDURANCE, AMERICAN SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, EVANSTON INSURANCE COMPANY, HARLEY'S HARLEYSVILLE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK.

HISCOCK SYNDICATE LIMITED, IRON SHORE SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY.

KINSALE INSURANCE COMPANY, LEXINGTON INSURANCE COMPANY, NAUTILUS INSURANCE COMPANY, OBSIDIAN SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, PALMS INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED.

PRINCETON, E-A-E-N-S.

LYONS INSURANCE COMPANY RSUI.

INDEMNITY COMPANY, SCOTTSDALE INSURANCE COMPANY SPECIALTY BUILDINGS INSURANCE COMPANY STAR SURPLUS LYONS INSURANCE COMPANY, STARSTONE SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, SUDDEN SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, SWISS RE, CORPORATE SOLUTIONS AMERICA INSURANCE CORPORATION, TEXAS INSURANCE COMPANY, UNDERWRITERS OF LLOYD'S VELOCITY SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, WESTCHESTER SURPLUS LINES INSURANCE COMPANY AND WESTFIELD SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY WHICH ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE LAYERED PROPERTY INSURANCE PROGRAM AND APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF GENERAL PROPERTY INSURANCE POLICY FOR HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATION LEASED PROPERTIES EXCLUDING THE GEORGE R. BROWN CONVENTION CENTER.

ITEM 15 ORDINANCE ACCEPTING PROPOSAL FROM HARTFORD FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY APPRO AND AUTHORIZING PURCHASE OF GENERAL PROPERTY INSURANCE FOR GEORGE R. BROWN CONVENTION CENTER FOR PROPOSED CITYWIDE INSURANCE POLICY FOR ALL CITY OF HOUSTON LOCATIONS.

ITEM 16 ORDINANCE ACCEPTING PROPOSAL FOR UNDERWRITERS AT LORDS APPROVED AN AUTHORIZING PURCHASE OF TERRORISM INSURANCE FOR THE PROPOSED CITYWIDE INSURANCE POLICY FOR ALL SCHEDULED CITY OF HOUSTON LOCATIONS.

ITEM 17, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $46,438,787 TO CONTRACT WITH HENSEL PHELPS CONSTRUCTION COMPANY.

ITEM 18 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $782,300 APPROVED AND AUTHORIZING CONTRACT WITH BROWN REYNOLDS WATFORD ARCHITECTS INC.

ITEM 19 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING IN $25,790,778 TO PROVIDE CONSTRUCTION PHASE SERVICES FOR CONTRACT WITH SPA GLASS CONSTRUCTION CORPORATION.

ITEM 20 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING IN $4,079,000 FOR PLAYGROUND IMPROVEMENTS AND REPLACEMENTS AT VARIOUS FACILITIES.

ITEM 21 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $48,088,463 9 CENTS.

APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING CONTRACT WITH ALSTOM TRANSPORT USA INC.

ITEM 22, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $2,313,513 APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING CONTRACT WITH NETWORK CABLING SERVICES INC.

ITEM 23 ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING CONTRACT WITH AIRPORTS COUNSEL.

INTERNATIONAL ITEM 24 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING CONTRACT WITH I-C-F-S-H-N-E INC.

ITEM 25 ORDINANCE APPROVED AND AUTHORIZING SECOND AMENDMENT TO CONTRACT WITH AIDS FOUNDATION HOUSTON INC.

DOING BUSINESS AS ALLIES IN HOPE AIDS HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION FUND ION LATINO, AMERICANA D ION, SO INC.

LEGACY COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES INC.

AND ST.

HOPE FOUNDATION, INC.

TO PROVIDE COMMUNITY-BASED H-I-V-S-T-D COUNSELING, TESTING, REFERRAL AND LINKAGE SERVICES.

ITEM 26, ORDINANCE APPROV AND AUTHORIZING SECOND AMENDMENT TO CONTRACT WITH HARRIS COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT DOING BUSINESS AS HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM AND BE BUSY LEARNING ACADEMY WELLNESS CENTER.

ITEM 27 ORDINANCE APPROVED AND AUTHORIZED AND SECOND AMENDMENT TO CONTRACT WITH THE MONTROSE CENTER.

ITEM 28 ORDINANCE APPROVED AND AUTHORIZED IN THE SECOND AMENDMENT TO CONTRACT WITH BE BUSY LEARNING ACADEMY INC.

ITEM 29 ORDINANCE APPROVED AND AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION FOR GRANT ASSISTANCE TO THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR FOR FY 20 SI 27 ACTIVE ATTACK RESPONSE EQUIPMENT GRANT PROGRAM.

ITEM 30 ORDINANCE OF APPRO AND AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF ELECTRONIC APPLICATION FOR GRANT ASSISTANCE TO THE OFFICER OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR FOR FY 27 NORTHEAST AND WESTSIDE HOUSTON VIOLENT GAIN CRIME SUPPRESSION GRANT.

ITEM 31 ORDINANCE RELATING TO EAST ALDEAN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT ITEM 32, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $270,229 FROM I'M SORRY, FOR A TRANSFER

[02:40:01]

OF PLUS PLUS MINUS 68,948 SQUARE FEET OF LAND PARCEL IT 25 DASH ZERO FOUR FROM HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS THROUGH THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, DESIGNATING SAID LAND FOR PARKS PURPOSES.

ITEM 33, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH MEMORIAL HEIGHTS REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.

ITEM 34, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $78,750 APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FOR CONSTRUCTION OF HARBOR DRIVE AND GESNER ROAD INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS.

PROJECT ITEM 35 ORDINANCE APPRO AND AUTHORIZING IN A LOCAL AGREEMENT WITH HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATION.

ITEM 36, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $65,064 30 CENTS APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING INFRASTRUCTURE REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT WITH MEMORIAL HEIGHTS REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.

ITEM 37, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING IN $262,500 APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING JOINT PARTICIPATION IN A LOCAL AGREEMENT WITH HARRIS COUNTY.

ITEM 38 ORDINANCE, FINDING AND DETERMINING THAT PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY FOR THE ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY INTEREST IN CONNECTION WITH THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT PROJECT KNOWN AS THE DRINKING WATER DISTRIBUTION, REHABILITATION AND REPLACEMENT PROJECT.

ALONG US 59 SOUTHWEST FREEWAY BETWEEN SOUTH GESNER ROAD AND BENU STREET.

ITEM 39 ORDINANCE GRANTING TO A A A ACTION SEPTIC SERVICE, LLCA TEXAS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, THE RIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT, CALL AND TRANSFER SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PUR PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

ITEM 40 ORDINANCE GRANTING TO JS SEPTIC SERVICES CORPORATION, A TEXAS CORPORATION, THE WRIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT CALL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

ITEM 41 ORDINANCE GRANTED TO MASTERS ADVANCE REMEDIATION SERVICES, LLCA TEXAS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, THE RIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT, HAUL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PURPOSES.

PRO COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

ITEM 42, ORDINANCE GRANTING TO RED ZONE ROBOTICS INC.

A FOREIGN CORPORATION, THE RIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT, HAUL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

ITEM 43, ORDINANCE GRANTING TO REFRESH THREADS, CLEANERS, LLCA TEXAS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, THE RIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT CALL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

ITEM 44 ORDINANCE GRANTING TO S-E-S-C-L-L-C-A TEXAS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, THE RIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT, HAUL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

ITEM 45 ORDINANCE GRANTING TO TEXAS MINT COMMERCIAL WASHINGTON, LLCA TEXAS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, THE RIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT, HAUL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

THIS COMPLETES THE READING OF THE CAPTIONS FOR THE AGENDA OF MARCH 18TH, 2026.

STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL SESSION TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM AND WITH THAT I WISH EVERYONE A BLESSED AND HAPPY HUMP DAY.

COUNSEL,

[RECONVENE]

PLEASE COME TO ORDER.

UH,

[CONSENT AGENDA]

MS. SECRETARY ITEM ONE.

YOU WANNA DO THE APPOINTMENTS? YEAH.

GET A MOTION FOR ONE THROUGH FOUR OUT OF ORDER.

MARK, UH, UH, MOTION.

IS HE READY? HM.

MOTION.

READY TO TAKE THEM OUTTA ORDER? YEAH.

MOTION TO TAKE ITEMS ONE THROUGH FOUR OUT OF ORDER.

MOTION TO TAKE ITEMS NUMBER CAST SIXT.

A MOVE TO TAKE ITEMS ONE THROUGH FOUR OUT OF ORDER.

MOTION MADE.

ALL IN FAVOR? SEAT? YES.

MOTION.

IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM ONE? CASTEX TATUM MOVE CAN SECOND YOU GOT IT? MOTIONS MADE IN SECOND.

UH, LET'S DO TWO AS WELL SINCE IT'S THE SAME PANEL.

ITEM TWO.

IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM TWO? CAST TATUM, MOVE.

TEAM SECOND.

MOTION MADE.

CONGRATULATIONS GENTLEMEN.

ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES AS OPPOSED NAY.

AND MICHAEL, UH, OUR PUBLIC SERVANT STEPHEN

[02:45:01]

WELCOME TO THE, UH, PUBLIC SERVICE.

ANYONE ELSE, IF NOT GENTLEMEN, STAND AND LET US THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE.

HUGE RESPONSIBILITY.

UH, COUNCILMAN HUFFMAN.

AND CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REAPPOINTMENTS, UM, BEING WILLING TO CONTINUE TO SERVE AND THEN TO THE NEW APPOINTMENTS.

WELCOME.

TOUR 16 IS AN INCREDIBLY SPECIAL PLACE AND THERE IS A LOT OF VISION AND FORETHOUGHT, UM, THAT HAS BEEN PUT INTO ALL THE PROJECTS THERE.

AND I KNOW THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE THIS MOMENTUM AND KEEP GOING.

NOW YOU GO TO WORK.

NEXT, IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM THREE? HUFFMAN TAGS BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN TAG BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN FOUR IS THE SAME.

FOUR AS WELL.

HUFFMAN TAX FINE.

NEXT, UNDER THE PROPERTY CATEGORY, ITEM FIVE NEEDS A MOTION CAST, TA MOVE MARTINEZ.

SECOND.

MOTION MADE.

ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES.

MOTION PASSES UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF BIDS CATEGORY ITEM 6, 7, 8.

NEED A MOTION? CASTEX, STATE A MOVE.

ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES.

THOSE SUPPOSED NAY.

MOTION PASSES UNDER THE RESOLUTIONS CATEGORY.

ITEM NINE.

NEED TO VOTE.

ITEMS 11, 12, 18, 20, 24, 25, 29, 30, 35 AND 36 HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.

THOSE OPPOSING NAY.

MOTION PASSES UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY.

ITEM 21 HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED, BUT WILL BE CONSIDERED IF IT'S RECEIVED BEFORE THE END OF THE MEETING.

AGAIN, THOSE NUMBERS ARE 11, 12, 18, 20, 24, 25, 29, 30, 35, 36.

NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE? ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES AS OPPOSED NINE.

MOTION PASSES, ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.

ITEM 11 IS IN ORDINANCE.

OPPOSED, OPPOSED NAY.

ITEM 12 IS AN ORDINANCE.

COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ.

SO APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S SUPPORT.

SO THIS, THIS ALSO IS IN, UH, IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH, UH, ITEM 11.

SO I JUST WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO CHRIS LARSON IN DOWNTOWN.

PLUS WHO'S HERE.

UH, THE WORK THAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING FOR THE, UH, MAIN STREET 2.0, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY NOW FROM COMMERCE TO DALLAS.

UH, WE HAD A PILOT PROGRAM, I GUESS WHAT DURING COVID, SO SIX YEARS AGO.

UM, AND IT, IT WORKED REALLY WELL.

THERE ARE SOME, UH, SOME QUESTIONS WITH SOME OF THE BUSINESSES, BUT I THINK THEY ALL SEE THE BENEFIT OF IT NOW AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS BEING A, A HUGE SPOTLIGHT, ESPECIALLY DURING, UH, A FIFA WHERE WE'LL HAVE A LOT OF, UH, VISITORS.

IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN SOME OF THE RENDERINGS OF WHAT'S BEEN, UH, WHAT, WHAT IS GONNA BE COMING SOON.

I'D ENCOURAGE Y'ALL TO SEE IT.

THIS IS GONNA BE GREAT FOR BUSINESSES, FOR PEDESTRIANS ALIKE.

AND THEN OF COURSE JUST ESTONIANS THAT WILL BE VISITING DOWNTOWN.

I THINK WE NEED TO, WE DO NEED A VOTE.

LET ME ECHO YOUR WORDS.

UH, CHRIS, THANK YOU, UH, COLLEAGUES.

HE CENTRAL HOUSTON IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY.

THE TS WE'RE GOING TO REPAVE 85 BLOCKS IN CENTRAL HOUSTON.

THEY BLEW BY THAT UNDER BUDGET, ON SCHEDULE AHEAD OF TIME, AND NOW GOING TO OVER A HUNDRED BLOCKS.

GIVE ME A SHOUT OUT.

WHAT'S YOUR LAST PLANS? 120, SIR.

20.

120.

AND BE DONE BEFORE FIFA'S HERE.

LONG OVERDUE.

IT'S NOT JUST IN PREPARATION FOR FIFA, BUT ALL OF OUR DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS AND WORKERS.

GREAT WORK.

AND, UH, I'M USING YOU AS A MODEL AS I TALK TO OTHER, UH, PROJECTS.

UH, CERTAINLY METRO.

GOTTA MOVE FASTER, QUICKER UNDER BUDGET AND GET IT DONE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

GOOD JOB.

UM,

[02:50:01]

VOTE ON 12.

THOSE NAY.

ITEM 18 IS AN ORDINANCE.

THOSE, THOSE NAY.

ITEM 20 IS AN ORDINANCE.

COUNCIL, COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN.

UH, COMMENT BEFORE RELEASE.

DO YOU WANNA COMMENT NOW? YES.

WHY ARE YOU TAGGING THE PLAYGROUND? COUNCIL MEMBER CANON COUNCIL MEMBER CANON.

YOU DON'T WANT THE KIDS TO HAVE A PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT.

NO.

WELL, I WAS, I'LL, I'LL I'LL SAY IT, I GUESS TWO WEEKS IN A ROW THEN.

'CAUSE IT'S SUCH A BIG DEAL.

BUT MAYOR, I REALLY WANTED TO SPOTLIGHT THIS, THIS ITEM AND THANK OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT, UH, GSD, UH, BUT REALLY OUR RESIDENTS.

THIS IS A SWEEPING OVER $4 MILLION INVESTMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY PARKS.

AND ONE I WANTED TO SPOTLIGHT IN PARTICULAR THOUGH, UM, AND LET RESIDENTS KNOW IT WAS COMING, IS MANGA MANOR.

UH, WHICH IN 2023, JUST AFTER NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, UH, WE BASICALLY HAD TO CONDEMN THE PLAYGROUND AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAD TO REMOVE THE ENTIRE PLAYGROUND.

SO SINCE 2023, IT'S JUST BEEN AN EMPTY FIELD.

AND THANKS TO THE WORK OF RESIDENTS WORKING WITH OUR OFFICE WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, THERE IS NOT JUST AN ALLOCATION, BUT THE COMPLETE PLAYGROUND IS NOW GOING TO BE INSTALLED WITH IT COMPLETED BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.

AND THAT'S JUST A HUGE WIN FOR THIS COMMUNITY.

AND I, I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO PARKS AND GSD FOR WORKING WITH US.

UH, BUT AGAIN, YOU'RE SEEING ALL ACROSS, UH, MULTIPLE DISTRICTS, INVESTMENTS IN OUR PARKS, WHICH ARE CRITICAL.

WELL, YOU NEED TO TALK TO COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.

IN FACT, WE'LL LET Y'ALL GO IN THE BACK.

AND NEXT I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU IN A MOMENT.

AND I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT HOW GREAT THIS IS.

$4 MILLION GOING TOWARDS OUR PARKS.

THIS IS THE, THIS IS MONEY FROM THE OPEN SPACE ORDINANCE.

SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING AT CITY COUNCIL AND THAT WE'RE TAKING A HARD LOOK AT.

UM, IT'S BEEN, IT'S KIND OF A 20-YEAR-OLD ORDINANCE AND THERE'S SOME DISPARITY IN WHERE ALL THE MONEY GOES, UM, IN THE SECTORS.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT CHANGING.

SO 30% OF THIS MONEY CAN BE, IT DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW ALL OF THE MONEY HAS TO BE SPENT IN THAT SPECIFIC SECTOR.

SO OBVIOUSLY THE MONEY, THE WHERE THERE'S MORE DEVELOPMENT, YOU GET MORE MONEY AND YOUR PARKS ARE BETTER.

SO TO MAKE THAT BETTER, THE ADMINISTRATION IS RECOMMENDING WE TAKE 30% OF THAT, KINDA LIKE WE DO ON SIDEWALK FEE IN LIEU OF, TO SPREAD THAT OUT AND, AND ALSO LIKE WE DO WITH THE AFFORDABLE, UM, HOUSING TURS FUNDS, WHICH CAN GO ANYWHERE.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE LOOKING AT.

AND I PERSONALLY WANT TO ALSO LOOK AT THE FEE THAT WE CHARGE, WHICH HAS NOT BEEN CHANGED IN, IN 20 YEARS AND IS ALREADY ONE OF THE LOWEST FEES IN THE STATE, UM, FOR THIS PURPOSE.

AND, UH, IT WILL BE, THERE'S SOME IMPORTANT DATES COMING UP ON THE OPEN SPACE ORDINANCE.

THIS WILL BE COMING, THE FINAL RED LINE, UM, WILL BE OUT ON APRIL 23RD.

THE, IT WILL BE PLACED ON THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AGENDA, UM, APRIL 24TH AND A HEARING ON APRIL 30TH AND POTENTIALLY A NEXT EXTRA HEARING ON MAY 14TH.

SO, UM, WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY TAKING A LOOK AT THAT ORDINANCE.

THIS IS, THIS IS A GOOD SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR ORDINANCE, FOR, FOR PARKS, AND WE KNOW HOW LOW WE ARE ON FUNDING FOR PARKS.

ALTHOUGH MAYOR, THERE'S MORE ON THE AGENDA TODAY.

YOU'RE WORKING WITH OTHER ENTITIES TO GET MORE COUNTY PARTICIPATION IN PARKS.

ALL OF THIS IS GOOD.

AND, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU TAGGED THAT, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, BUT LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING WHY ME TOO.

COUNCIL, VICE MAYOR, UH, MAYOR PRO TEAM.

CARTER, COUNCILMAN CARTER.

JUST WANTED TO AMPLIFY THAT THERE ARE THREE PARKS IN DISTRICT A THAT ARE RECEIVING THESE FUNDS.

SO I, I TOO AM WAS NOT SURE WHY.

OUR DEAR FRIEND, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, UM, TAG THIS.

BUT WE'VE BEEN WAITING, UH, FOR MONTHS FOR THE, UM, WINDSOR VILLAGE PARK TO GET THEIR PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT.

AGAIN, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT DID A, A SWEEP AND THEY LOOKED AT, UM, WHERE THE PARKS WERE.

UM, WE HAD DANGEROUS EQUIPMENT, UM, THAT WAS OLD AND FAILING, AND THEY REMOVED THOSE.

AND SO NOW THESE PARKS ARE, ARE ALL WAITING FOR THEIR PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT TO BE REPLACED.

UM, WE GET CALLS PERIODICALLY ABOUT HOW SOON ARE WE GETTING OUR PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT BACK AT WINDSOR VILLAGE PARK.

SO, VERY EXCITED THAT BAH, MAXIE PARK SOUTH MAIN ESTATES PARK AND WINDSOR VILLAGE PARK ARE INCLUDED IN, UH, THE FUNDING FOR, UM, IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR PARK.

SO, UM, VERY, UM, ANXIOUSLY AWAITING,

[02:55:01]

UH, THIS TO HAPPEN.

UH, I ECHO EVERYONE'S COMMENTS, BUT ALSO TOO, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE PLAYGROUNDS THAT ARE NOT, UH, UP TO STANDARDS, THEY'RE DANGEROUS.

I WAS OVER IN DISTRICT B AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEAUTIFUL LITTLE PARK AND THERE'S A PLAYGROUND THAT'S FENCED OFF.

AND I SAID, WELL, WHAT TO PARKS? I SAID, WHY IS THAT FENCED OFF? AND THEY SAID, OH, THE EQUIPMENT IS, HAS BEEN DAMAGED.

AND, YOU KNOW, SO POTENTIALLY, WELL, NOT POTENTIALLY, IT IS A LIABILITY.

AND TO BE ABLE TO REPLACE THE EQUIPMENT AND HAVE, YOU KNOW, A PARK OPEN THE ENTIRE PARK FOR PLAY IS, IS VERY IMPORTANT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, UH, ONE LAWSUIT AWAY WHEN YOU START LOOKING AT, AT, UH, POORLY MAINTAINED OR AGED, UH, PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT.

SO I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO, UH, GET MORE DONE LIKE THIS.

THANK, THANK YOU.

UH, COUNCILMAN CAYMAN.

THE, UM, SOME OF THE REAL DETAILED INFORMATION MIGHT NOT BE AVAILABLE REAL FAR BACK, BUT WE'LL GET AS DETAILED AS WE CAN.

I JUST, I WANTED TO THANK ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THE ROBUST DISCUSSION ON HOW WE FUND OUR PARKS, BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A BIGGER ISSUE AT HAND, UH, WHEN WE HAVE SUCH CONSTRAINED RESOURCES.

AND I THOUGHT THIS WAS SUCH A GREAT ITEM.

ONE, BECAUSE WE ARE USING DEDICATED FUNDS THAT ARE FOR THIS.

AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP TO SEE HOW WE CAN GROW THESE FUNDS IN AN EQUITABLE MANNER.

AND TWO, THE COST OF PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT.

WHAT PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IS HOW EXPENSIVE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT REALLY IS.

AND TO COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER'S POINT, WHEN WE CONTINUE TO DEFER ON MAINTENANCE, WHETHER IT'S OUR BUILDINGS, WHETHER IT'S OUR PLAYGROUNDS, THE COST, UH, AND CONTINUES TO GO UP TENFOLD.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THAT I JUST WANNA PLUG FOR AS WE ARE IMPROVING OUR PLAYGROUNDS, WHAT'S INCREASINGLY NECESSARY IS SHADE FOR PLAYGROUNDS.

EVEN LIKE WHEN WE USE BETTER MATERIALS, THE EQUIPMENT IS GETTING TOO HOT NOW BECAUSE OF CLIMATE CHANGE, BECAUSE OF INCREASED HEAT, THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL COST.

SO IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT REPLACING WHAT WAS THERE, IT'S ABOUT MAKING IT SAFE FOR THE FUTURE.

AND WE HAVE TO INCLUDE EVEN MORE.

SO THE FACT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO COVER THIS MANY PARKS FOR A LITTLE OVER $4 MILLION IS ACTUALLY REMARKABLE, UH, IN TERMS OF THE COST THAT IT NORMALLY TAKES TO DO, UH, THESE IMPROVEMENTS.

SO AGAIN, HUGE SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE DEPARTMENTS THAT WORKED ON IT, ALL THE CIVIC CLUBS AND RESIDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN ENGAGING FOR THEIR PARKS LOCALLY.

UH, AND I THINK WE ALL LOOK FORWARD TO MOVING THIS ITEM AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS POSSIBLE.

COUNCILMAN DAVIS? THANK YOU, MAYOR.

AND, UH, CERTAINLY LET ME BE CLEAR THAT THIS WAS NOT, THE OBJECTIVE WAS TO STOP THE, PROVE IT TO PARKS.

WE DEFINITELY SUPPORT THAT, BUT I WANTED TO THE PERSON TO TAG WAS THERE SOME DESIGNATED, UH, PARTS AND I ASKED COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKER, WHICH PARTICULAR ONE IN HIS AREA.

I JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHERE THE DOLLARS WERE GOING TO, WHAT PARTICULAR PARKS BECAUSE YELLOWSTONE PARK, UH, IN THE SOUTH UNION COMMUNITY, UH, STARTED A LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAM.

THAT'S NOT EVEN A DISABILITY, UH, PREPARATION FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE DISABLED TO ATTEND A PARK.

I KICKED OFF THE LITTLE LEAGUE.

AS WE KNOW MUCH, WE COMPLAIN ABOUT OUR KIDS NOT HAVING ACTIVITY IN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO REDUCE THE CRIME AND OTHER THINGS.

THAT PARK DON'T HAVE LIGHTS.

IT DOESN'T HAVE A LOT.

SO I'M NOT AGAINST PARKS, ABSOLUTELY NOT.

BUT I JUST WANTED TO, THE PURPOSE OF THE TAG WAS TO ASSURE ATTENTION THAT THAT PARK GETS WHAT IT NEEDS.

WE'LL DO IT IN DISTRICT B.

GOT IT.

THEN I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO REMOVE IT.

I THINK THAT'S A GREAT, UH, COMING TOGETHER, THAT YELLOWSTONE PARK.

WE'LL TALK TO DIRECTOR ALLEN TODAY AND GIVE IT SOME, UH, SPECIAL ATTENTION.

GOOD.

AND, UH, NOT INTERFERE WITH THE PROGRESS OF MOVING FORWARD ON THE PARTS THAT HAVE RECEIVED, UH, THIS SUPPORT.

COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.

AND REALLY RESPECT YOUR, YOUR VOICE ON THAT.

AND, UH, I DID WANNA SAY EARLIER SOMETHING I FORGOT, NEGLECTED TO SAY.

I HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS AND, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHEN WE LAST DISCUSSED THE OPEN SPACE ORDINANCE.

AND ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE LOOKING AT, AT THE FEE, WE WANNA KNOW WHERE THOSE FUNDS HAVE BEEN SPENT THROUGH THE YEARS.

AND I AM WORKING WITH PARKS TO COMPILE THAT.

I HAVE A PRETTY GOOD LIST RIGHT NOW.

I'VE ASKED THEM TO ADD SOME DETAIL TO IT, AND I'LL MAKE SURE EVERYBODY GETS THAT.

NOW, THIS GOES BACK 20 YEARS, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE PROBABLY BETTER INFORMATION FOR THE LAST 10, YOU KNOW, OR MORE.

I MEAN, THEY'RE GOING BACK AS FAR AS THEY PO POT THAT, I MEAN, OF COURSE ALL OF IT'S ACCOUNTED FOR.

AND WE VOTED, COUNCIL HAS VOTED ON EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR COMING OUT OF THIS FUND.

IT'S NOT LIKE COUNCIL DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT, BUT

[03:00:01]

UM, 65 ACRES OF LAND HAVE BEEN PURCHASED SINCE THIS A PARKLAND HAS BEEN PURCHASED, AND THEN NUMEROUS IMPROVEMENTS IN NUMEROUS PARKS.

AND WE'RE GETTING AS MUCH DETAIL AS WE CAN ON THAT TO SHARE WITH EVERYONE.

SO THERE'S GREAT TRANSPARENCY IN WHERE THESE, THIS FUNDING HAS GONE.

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE.

COUNCIL MEMBER MAYOR.

UH, COUNCILWOMAN ALCORN AND I HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THIS AS WELL.

AND YOU KNOW, ALTHOUGH I DON'T KNOW ALL OF THE DETAILS IN CHANGING THE ZONES, WE REALLY THOUGHT THAT CHANGING THE ZONES WOULD GIVE US MORE FLEXIBILITY IN ORDER TO SPEND THIS MONEY.

'CAUSE I MEAN, WE, WE ALL TALKED ABOUT THE MONEY COMING IN DOESN'T NECESSARILY MATCH WHERE THE MONEY IS NEEDED, SO I AGREE.

COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.

UH, JUST NEED TO VOTE.

ALL IN FAVOR, SAY YES.

THOSE OPPOSED.

ITEM 24 IS AN ORDINANCE.

ITEM 25 IS AN ORDINANCE.

AND BEFORE WE VOTE, AFTER WE VOTE BEFORE OR AFTER THE VOTE.

BEFORE, BEFORE, BEFORE.

COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAS.

UH, COLLEAGUES, THIS ITEM IS ABOUT SAVING LIVES AND PROTECTING PUBLIC HEALTH IN HOUSTON.

RIGHT NOW, NEARLY ONE IN 200 HOUSTONIANS, LIVING WITH HIV.

AND WE ARE SEEING ALARMING TRENDS, PARTICULARLY A 200% INCREASE IN CONGENITAL SYPHILIS, WHICH MEANS BABIES ARE BEING BORN ALREADY INFECTED.

WHAT MAKES THIS EVEN MORE URGENT IS THAT ABOUT 40% OF THE NEW HIV INFECTIONS COME FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO DON'T EVEN KNOW THEIR STATUS.

THAT'S WHERE COUNSELING, TESTING, AND LINKAGE SERVICES BECOME CRITICAL.

THESE SERVICES DON'T JUST DIAGNOSE, THEY CONNECT PEOPLE TO CARE PREVENTION TOOLS LIKE PREP AND ONGOING SUPPORT, WHICH ULTIMATELY REDUCES TRANSMISSION ACROSS OUR CITY.

I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE WORK OF ALLIES AND HOPE WHO ARE ON THE FRONT LINES, PROVIDING CULTURALLY COMPETENT CARE AND HELPING US REACH THE COMMUNITY'S MOST IMPACTED.

AND CERTAINLY THIS AMENDMENT ENSURES WE CONTINUE THAT LIFE SAVING WORK AND I STRONGLY SUPPORT IT.

MAYOR PROTI A THE VOTE.

MEMBERS ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES.

THOSE OPPOSED TO NAY.

MAYOR PROTI.

THANK YOU COLLEAGUES FOR SUPPORTING ITEM 25.

I DID, UM, SEE TRUSTEE ERICA DAVIS ROUSE, UM, FROM SAN JACINTO COLLEGE HAS JOINED US TODAY.

I KNOW SHE WAS INTERESTED IN THE VOTE, UM, BUT WANT TO SEND A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO JEFFREY AND EVERYBODY AT ALLIES AND HOPE FOR THE WORK THAT THEY CONTINUE TO DO, UM, TO STRENGTHEN PUBLIC HEALTH.

SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND ALL OF THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU DO AS THE SENIOR DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT FOR ALLIES OF HOPE.

AND, UM, WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE WORK THAT WE DO ALONGSIDE YOUR ORGANIZATION.

NEXT, NEXT, ITEM 29 IS AN ORDINANCE.

ITEM 30 IS AN ORDINANCE.

UH, TOTALLY DIFFERENT FUNDING.

COUNCILMAN POLLARD.

GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY AND THANK YOU MAYOR.

UM, I WAS LOOKING AT ITEM 30.

UH, THE BACKUP SAYS THAT THIS ORDINANCE IS TO APPROVE AUTHORIZATION OF THE SUBMISSION OF AN ELECTRONIC APPLICATION, UH, THROUGH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, UH, FOR FY 27 NORTHEAST AND WEST SIDE HOUSTON VIOLENT GAME CRIME SUPPRESSION GRANT.

AND THIS GRANT IS TO PROVIDE OVERTIME FUNDING FOR HPDS, NORTHEAST DIVISION AND WEST SIDE DIVISION.

AND IT STRUCK ME BECAUSE, UM, THE WEST SIDE DIVISION IS WITHIN JAY CITY.

UH, MY OFFICE HAS BEEN TRYING TO PROVIDE OVERTIME DOLLARS TO HPD FOR THE ENTIRE FISCAL YEAR.

UH, AND THE DEPARTMENT HAS DECLINED OUR OVERTIME DOLLARS.

SO I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY THIS GRANT IS BEING APPLIED FOR, AND WE'RE ASKING THE GOVERNOR FOR MONEY WHEN YOUR FAVORITE COLLEAGUE HERE HAS BEEN, UM, OFFERING OVERTIME DOLLARS, UH, TO HPD AND HPD IS NOT ACCEPTING

[03:05:01]

IT.

UM, AND AGAIN, THIS IS MY ASK FORMALLY TO, UH, HAVE MY OFFICE BE ABLE TO PROVIDE OVERTIME DOLLARS FOR COMMUNITY POLICING.

UM, AND SOME OF THAT MONEY WOULD BE GOING TO THE WEST SIDE DIVISION, JUST LIKE THIS ORDINANCE IS PROPOSING TO PROVIDE OVERTIME DOLLARS, UH, TO THE WEST SIDE DIVISION.

IS THERE A REASON WHY MY OFFICE IS NOT BEING ALLOWED TO PROVIDE OVERTIME DOLLARS TO HPD IN A DIFFERENT MANNER THAN WHY THE GOVERNOR IS ABLE TO PROVIDE OVERTIME DOLLARS TO HPD? TOTALLY DIFFERENT SUBJECT CONSCIENCE.

CAN YOU GIVE ME A REASON WHY YOU BELIEVE IT'S A DIALOGUE? TURN ON YOUR MIC, YOUR MICROPHONE.

PEOPLE CAN HEAR MY POSITION.

AND, UH, I'M NOT GONNA HAVE A DEBATE WITH YOU ABOUT YOUR, UH, OVERTIME.

WE APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S CONTRIBUTIONS, BUT THIS IS NECESSARY TO CONTINUE THIS OVERTIME GANG TASK FORCE, WHICH IS, UH, BEING RECEIVED BY THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.

SO YOU DON'T BELIEVE VOTE YOUR CONSCIENCE.

I HAVE.

YOU'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH YOUR CONVERSATION AND YOUR DEMANDS UPON THE DEPARTMENT TO POLITICIZE, UH, THE DEPARTMENT IN YOUR AREA WITH YOUR DECALS AND, UM, MAKE BELIEVE CITIES.

SO I'M JUST NOT GOING TO, I'M JUST NOT GONNA HAVE THIS DIALOGUE.

EVERYONE KNOWS HOW IMPORTANT POLICE OVERTIME IS.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR OFFERINGS AND I WOULD URGE YOU TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE LEADERSHIP AT HPD.

WELL, I CAN TELL YOU, MAYOR, THAT THE UNFORTUNATE PART ABOUT IT IS THE RESIDENTS OF JAY CITY ARE THE ONESS THAT ARE BEING, BEING HURT BY YOUR DECISION NOT TO ALLOW OVERTIME DOLLARS FOR HPD THAT WILL BE FOR COMMUNITY POLICING.

THE SAME COMMUNITY.

I APPRECIATE YOUR PERSPECTIVE.

WELL, I APPRECIATE YOU APPRECIATING IT.

UM, WHAT I'M SAYING IS, OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, MY OFFICE HAS BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE OVERTIME DOLLARS FOR COMMUNITY POLICING.

GREAT.

UM, YOUR OFFICE HAS APPROVED THOSE DOLLARS IN THE PAST, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY ALL OF A SUDDEN THOSE DOLLARS ARE NOT BEING ACCEPTED TO BE USED FOR COMMUNITY POLICING.

EVERY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER UP HERE IS ABLE TO PROVIDE OVERTIME DOLLARS FOR THEIR DISTRICTS.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY MINE IS NOT, ESPECIALLY AT A TIME NOW WHERE WE'RE ACCEPTING OVERTIME DOLLARS FROM THE STATE.

TOTALLY DIFFERENT SUBJECTS.

I WOULD URGE YOU TO TALK TO POLICE CHIEF AND IF YOU'ALL CAN REACH A, UH, ACCORD WHERE HE DOESN'T BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DIRECT THINGS AND POLITICIZE LAW ENFORCEMENT.

WE ONLY HAVE ONE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THIS CITY THAT I'M PROUD OF.

THEY'RE DOING OUTSTANDING WORK.

AND QUITE FRANKLY, YOU'RE POLITICIZING IT IS NOTHING BUT A DISTRACTION, WHICH IS HURTING PUBLIC SAFETY.

SO I'D SUGGEST WE MOVE ON EXCEPT THE STATE FUNDING FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.

AND, UH, WHY IS YOUR VOICE GETTING SO ELEVATED? I'M NOT GONNA CONTINUE THIS DIALOGUE.

TAKE IT UP WITH THE POLICE CHIEF.

HE'S AN OUTSTANDING LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.

HE HAS THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY AND, UH, GOOD TRY.

UH, TAGGED.

TAGGED, VERY FINE.

TAGGED BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER P*****K NEXT.

OH YEAH, SORRY.

I'M SORRY.

IF YOU PACK YOUR PAPERWORK, ITEM 35 IS AN ORDINANCE.

THOSE OPPOSED DAY MOTION PASSES.

ITEM 36 IS AN ORDINANCE.

THOSE OPPOSED DAY MOTION PASSES.

SIR, I THOUGHT I HAD WHO'S IN CAME IN, WAS IN THE QI THE COUNCIL SALINAS, I THINK IT WAS ON THE PREVIOUS ITEM THAT WAS 36.

NO, IT WAS, IT WAS 35.

I HAD SQUARED 35.

SHE'S GOING BACK.

WHICH NUMBER 35 SALINAS WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS? ITEM 35.

NO, I SQUARED IT.

JUST TO MAKE A COMMENT.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS, THANK THANK OH, GO AHEAD COUNSEL TO RECONSIDER.

NO, NO, I, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT ON THE VOTE, WHICH IS WHY I I HAD SQUARED IN.

SURE.

UM, I JUST WANTED TO FIRST THANK COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ FOR ALL THE WORK AND LEADERSHIP YOU'VE DONE ON THIS ISSUE REGARDING THE GEORGE R. BROWN CONVENTION CENTER.

I WANNA THANK COMMUNITY FOR COMING OUT AND RAISING THEIR QUESTIONS.

WE KNOW THAT THEY REMAIN QUESTIONS THAT THEY WANT ANSWERED.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ TO GET THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

UM, I KNOW FOLKS WANTED US TO DELAY THIS VOTE.

I'M GONNA SUPPORT MOVING FORWARD, UM, BUT I HOPE WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER TO GET ALL THE COMMUNITY'S QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

BUT THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP

[03:10:01]

ON THIS.

COUNCIL MEMBER.

COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN.

I HAVE A COMMENT.

I'M HAPPY TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER 36.

IS VOTED ON AFTER 36.

YES, PLEASE.

MEMBERS VOTING ON 36.

COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN FOR HER COMMENT.

COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN.

UM, I WANTED TO ALSO SPOTLIGHT THIS ITEM.

WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE MEMORIAL HEIGHTS TOURS, UM, AND, UH, PRECINCT FOR COMMISSIONER BRIANIS ON SEVERAL SAFE CROSSINGS IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA.

SO IN ADDITION TO ELLA GROVE WOOD, UH, WHICH IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW AS WE SPEAK, WHICH WE HAVE ALLOCATED DISTRICT DOLLARS TO.

AND I WANNA THANK AGAIN, COMMISSIONER BRIANIS FOR HER PARTNERSHIP.

UH, AT SINCLAIR ELEMENTARY, WE ARE WORKING WITH THE MEMORIAL HEIGHTS TOURS.

DISTRICT C HAS ALLOCATED OVER $65,000 FOR SAFE CROSSINGS AT 11TH AND SHIRK MERE AND 11TH AND SHELTER WOOD.

THESE ARE ADDITIONAL WAYS THAT FAMILIES NOT ONLY WALK TO AND, UH, BIKE TO SCHOOL, BUT ALSO TO MAYOR.

UH, AT PARK YOU, UH, DEEPLY CARE ABOUT, WHICH IS THE LORRAINE CHERRY NATURE PRESERVE.

AND THIS ALLOWS FAMILIES TO SAFELY CROSS FROM ONE SIDE OF TIMBER GROVE TO GET TO THE PARK TO GET TO SCHOOL.

SO WE APPRECIATE THE, UM, PARTNERSHIP WITH MEMORIAL HEIGHTS REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND CIVIC CLUB LEADERSHIP, PTO LEADERSHIP FOR IDENTIFYING THESE CROSSINGS AND ALLOWING US TO WORK WITH YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FAMILIES CAN BE SAFE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.

PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT ALL THE COLLABORATION.

AND CERTAINLY THE COMMISSIONER.

BE HONEST.

NEXT MEMBERS 21, I BELIEVE IS NOW IN, IS NOW IN.

YES, SIR.

JUST TAKE THE VOTE.

I, ITEM 21 IS IN ORDINANCE.

AND THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.

[MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS – COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ FIRST]

RAMIREZ.

UM, JUST WANNA REMIND MY CONSTITUENTS IN DISTRICT C, THERE'S AN ELECTION GOING ON A SPECIAL ELECTION TO, UH, CHOOSE A SUCCESSOR TO OUR COLLEAGUE, UH, ABEY CAYMAN AS A DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE THERE.

AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL RES REGISTERED VOTERS IN DISTRICT C TO COME OUT AND VOTE.

THESE POSITIONS ARE VERY IMPORTANT, UM, AND THE TURNOUT IS USUALLY PRETTY LOW.

UM, SAD TO SAY WE SELECTED ANOTHER COUNCIL MEMBER JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO, AND IN THE RUNOFF FOR THAT ELECTION, ONLY 3.6% OF REGISTERED VOTERS IN THE ENTIRE CITY TURNED OUT.

NOW WE'VE GOT A GREAT COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, AS A RESULT OF THAT.

BUT, UM, UH, I WISH THAT THERE WAS MORE VOTER PARTICIPATION.

I'M REMINDED OF HOW IMPORTANT THESE POSITIONS ARE WHEN I SEE WHAT'S GOING ON IN, UH, ONE OF OUR CITIES TO THE SOUTH CORPUS CHRISTI, WHICH IS DEALING WITH SOME REALLY SERIOUS WATER ISSUES.

YOU MIGHT EVEN SAY EXISTENTIAL WATER ISSUES.

UM, UNLESS THINGS GET BETTER, THEY COULD COMPLETELY RUN OUT OF WATER WITHIN A YEAR.

UH, AS CRAZY AS THAT SOUNDS.

NOW, I DON'T WANT TO ALARM ANYBODY HERE BECAUSE HOUSTON HAS PLENTY OF WATER SO LONG AS WE CAN CONTINUE TO DELIVER IT TO RESIDENTS.

UH, AND, AND WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.

BUT, UM, THESE POSITIONS WHERE IMPORTANT DECISIONS ARE MADE ARE, ARE SO IMPORTANT.

UM, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT C WHO ARE REGISTERED TO EDUCATE YOURSELVES ON WHO THE CANDIDATES ARE AND COME OUT AND VOTE.

EARLY VOTING HAS STARTED TODAY.

IT WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MARCH 31ST AND THE ELECTION DAY.

FOR THIS POSITION, WE WILL BE ON APRIL THE FOURTH.

SO GO OUT AND VOTE IF YOU LIVE IN DISTRICT C.

AND I MET WITH SOME MEMBERS OF THE GREATER HOUSTON WOMEN'S CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UM, SEVERAL MONTHS BACK.

COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS, UH, WANTED TO INVITE EVERYONE TO THE UNVEILING OF THE CHARLOTTE BALDWIN ALLEN STATUE.

MM-HMM .

ON TOMORROW AT 4:00 PM AT THE JULIA IEN LIBRARY.

UM, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, UH, CHARLOTTE BALDWIN BEFORE AND HOW, UM, SHE USED HER INHERITANCE TO PURCHASE THE LAND THAT BECAME HOUSTON, UM, AND REALLY HAS NEVER, UM, BEEN GIVING HER JUST DUE.

WELL, THE GREATER HOUSTON WOMEN'S CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UM, HAVE WORKED WITH SOME ORGANIZATION.

THEY'VE COMMISSIONED A STATUE, UM, THAT HAS BEEN DONATED TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.

THE UNVEILING WILL BE ON TOMORROW AT 4:00 PM UM, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM PECK, UH,

[03:15:01]

AND, UM, KIND OF LOOKED FOR THE PERFECT SPACE AND WE'RE, WE'RE GLAD THAT WE SETTLED IN ON, UH, JULIA, IDA AND LIBRARY.

SO IF YOU ARE AVAILABLE, WE'D LOVE TO SEE YOU THERE AS WE HONOR HER VISION AND COMMITMENT AND GENEROSITY, ESPECIALLY DURING WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH.

AND AGAIN, THAT'S TOMORROW AT 4:00 PM AND THEN, UH, SATURDAY, MARCH THE 21ST AT THE STEMLY BLUE RIDGE, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD LIBRARY.

THE LIBRARY WILL BE HOSTING A SENSORY FESTIVAL FROM ONE TO 4:00 PM UH, SHOULD BE A GREAT EVENT, UM, EMBRACING ALL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH MUSIC, ART, EXPLORATION, AND SENSORY FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES.

A BIG REMINDER FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT THE NEXT SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 40 COMMUNITY MEETING WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY AT THE HARM CLARK MULTI-SERVICE CENTER AT 6:30 PM WE'RE INVITING ALL OF THE RESIDENTS TO JOIN US AS WE WILL BE REVIEWING THE FINAL BYLAWS.

UM, LEARN ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY DELEGATES AND THE ELECTION OF THE NEW BOARD FOR THE REVITALIZED SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 40.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, YOU CAN DEFINITELY CALL THE OFFICE.

UH, THE WILLOW WATER HOLE MUSIC FESTIVAL IS BACK, UH, THE WEATHER PREVENTED THE INITIAL DATE, BUT ON MARCH THE 28TH FROM 11:00 AM TO 8:00 PM AT 5,300 DRY AT DRIVE.

IF YOU HAVE NEVER ATTENDED THE WILLOW WATER HOLE MUSIC FESTIVAL, THIS YEAR IS A GREAT YEAR TO START.

LOTS OF FUN, LOTS OF MUSIC.

UH, IT'S A GREAT TIME, UH, FOR FOLKS TO SEE THE WILLOW WATER HOLE, WHICH IS A HIDDEN GEM, UH, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.

IF YOU'VE NEVER BEEN THERE, INVITE YOU TO, UM, JOIN US AT THE WILLOW WATER HOLE MUSIC FESTIVAL.

UM, AND THEN WANNA LET THE RESIDENTS AT WESTRIDGE AND BRACE TERRACE AREAS AREA KNOW THAT THEIR STREET IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS SET TO START THIS FALL.

UM, WE'VE GOTTEN SEVERAL CALLS FROM THOSE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS ABOUT THEIR PROJECT.

UM, AND THEY CAN ALSO FOLLOW THAT PROJECT ON VISIT ENGAGE HOUSTON.ORG.

BUT THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT, OF COURSE, IS FOR SAFETY, DRAINAGE AND MOBILITY IN THE WESTRIDGE AND BRACE TERRACE NEIGHBORHOOD.

SO LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THAT PROJECT COMPLETED.

UM, SOON Y'ALL BE KIND TO EACH OTHER AND MAKE IT A GREAT DAY.

VICE MAYOR PROTE PECK.

UM, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF EVENTS COMING UP IN DISTRICT A THAT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT.

UM, THE FIRST ONE IS TOMORROW AT FREED PARK AT 9:00 AM.

UM, WE WILL HAVE OFFICE HOURS AT OUR SATELLITE OFFICE THERE.

IT'LL BE FROM 9:00 AM TO NOON.

ANYONE WHO WANTS TO STOP BY, UM, TO TALK TO, UM, THE DISTRICT, A TEAM, OR MYSELF, WE'LL BE THERE.

NO NEED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT.

PLEASE JOIN US, UM, FOR THAT.

THEN THIS SATURDAY, WE WILL HAVE OUR ANNUAL BATTLE OF THE BRANCH EVENT.

IT WILL BE AT, UM, SPRING SPIRIT AT THEIR PITNER LOCATION, 8 5 2 6 PITNER ROAD.

UM, THIS IS OUR ANNUAL EVENT WHERE THE, UM, THE STUDENTS, UM, FROM SPRING SPIRIT PLAY A SOFTBALL GAME, UM, WITH HPD OFFICERS AND HFD, UM, FIREFIGHTERS.

AND IT'S JUST A FUN EVENT.

UM, SO PLEASE JOIN US FOR THAT.

UM, IT'S FREE FOR THE COMMUNITY.

AND THEN FINALLY, OUR, UM, DISTRICT, A SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD AND CIVIC CLUB INFORMATIONAL MEETING WILL BE ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25TH.

AND THAT IS, UM, FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN STARTING UP THEIR SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS AGAIN.

UM, OR, UM, A CIVIC CLUB AND NOT REALLY SURE WHERE TO START.

THAT WILL BE AN INFORMATIONAL MEETING ABOUT THAT.

UM, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25TH AT 6:30 PM AT THE FAITH CENTER CHURCH, 8 0 0 9 LONGPOINT ROAD.

COUNCILOR MARTINEZ.

AND SO, UH, MULTI-TALENTED AND WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE HIM PART OF, UH, DISTRICT I-TEAM AS WELL.

UH, TONIGHT IS THE OPENING NIGHT FOR THE HOUSTON LATINO FILM FESTIVAL.

I'M HONORED, UH, THAT I'LL BE ABLE TO PRESENT A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING THEIR 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY, HIGHLIGHTING A DECADE OF LATINO STORYTELLING CULTURE.

AND FILMMAKERS AT THE LOCATION FOR THE EVENT IS AT THE, IN THE, AT THE MATCH IN MIDTOWN, AND THERE'S STILL TICKETS AVAILABLE.

YOU CAN GO TO HOUSTON LATINO FEST FILM FESTIVAL DOT UH ORG.

UM, THIS SATURDAY, UH, MARCH THE 21ST IS DIXIE LITTLE LEAGUE'S, UH, 76, UH, UH, LITTLE LEAGUE OPENING DAY.

UH, THIS IS THE OLDEST CHARTERED LITTLE LEAGUE IN THE HU IN IN THE INNER CITY, UH, SERVICING THE EAST END COMMUNITY AT IN GRANDO PARK.

UH, KIDS THAT ARE FOUR TO 16 GET TO PLAY THERE.

AND I WANNA JUST CONGRATULATE, UH, LITTLE, LITTLE LEAGUE ON THEIR 76 ANNIVERSARY, UH, TO THE DADS, THE COACHES, THE TEAM MOMS, UH, ALL THE VOLUNTEERS, UH, SPECIFICALLY JESSE MARTINEZ, ROBERTO CHARLES, ARTUR ROSALES, PHILIP CANTU, WHO HELPED LEAD A A LOT OF THE, OR THE, OR HELPED LEAD THE ORGANIZATION THERE AT THE PARK.

UM, AND THEN LASTLY, UM, I HAVE MY CHIP INTERN, JORGE PALOMO.

UH, I WANNA RECOGNIZE HIM IF HE CAN STAND.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE TAKE PRIDE IN BRINGING IN U OF H CHIP INTERNS OUT OF THE DISTRICT EYE OFFICE.

UH, HE'S MAJORING IN, IN HISTORY AND A MINOR IN POLITICAL SCIENCE.

UH, WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE HIM JOIN THE TEAM.

AND FOR THOSE THAT MIGHT ATTEND A, UM, A U OF H GAME, HE'S ALSO PART OF THE BAND AS WELL.

UM,

[03:20:01]

COUNCILMAN POLLARD.

UM, WHEN I FIRST GOT TO, UH, COUNCIL, UM, WHEN I WAS FIRST ELECTED, UM, I BROUGHT ON A CHIEF OF STAFF, PAUL YOUNG, WHO'S BEHIND ME.

UH, MY DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF IS DAVID BRIZUELA.

MY OFFICE MANAGER IS, UH, FRANCIS ELLIS.

UH, WE ALL CAME IN TOGETHER AND I WAS NOTIFIED THAT THEY HAVE REACHED THEIR FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.

SO I WANT, UH, FRANCIS AND DAVID TO STAND, PLEASE.

AND LET'S GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR MAKING THEIR FIVE YEARS.

AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE CITY OF HOUSTON RECOGNIZES, UM, CITY EMPLOYEES EVERY FIVE YEARS FOR THEIR SERVICE.

SO AFTER THIS MEETING, I JUST WANT TO, I WILL GIVE YOU ALL YOUR RECOGNITION, BUT I DO WANNA PUBLICLY, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE.

NOTHING THAT WE CAN DO IN THE JC CITY OFFICE CAN BE DONE WITHOUT YOU.

UH, I LEAN ON YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING AND, UM, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE KNOWS WHO YOU ARE AND WHO DOES THE HEAVY LIFTING IN THE OFFICE.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NOW YOU'RE VESTED IN THE PENSION PROGRAM, RIGHT? HOT EARS APPRECIATE.

UM, OKAY.

THANKS TO EVERYBODY THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE TOWN HALL WITH SENA HOUSTON AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT YESTERDAY ABOUT, UM, ADOPTING AN ESPLANADE.

WE HAD OVER A HUNDRED PARTICIPANTS, A LOT OF INTEREST.

SO WE'RE GONNA ADOPT OUT THOSE MEDIANS, MAN.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO START, STOP MOWING THOSE THINGS.

UM, ONLY OTHER THING SUPER FUN THAT I'VE DONE THREE OR FOUR TIMES BEFORE IS THE BUFFALO BAYOU REGATTA.

THIS WEEKEND I'LL BE GEORGE AND I'LL BE OUT THERE IN THE CANOE GOING OUR 15 MILES DOWN THE BAYOU FROM EVERYBODY'S SHAKING THE WREAKING REGATTA THEY USED TO CALL IT.

BUT, UM, ANYWAY, RAISES GREAT MONEY AND THERE'S A BUNCH OF PARTICIPANTS AND IT'S REALLY, REALLY FUN.

Y'ALL CAN SHAKE YOUR HEADS ALL YOU WANT, BUT IT'S FUN, .

IT'S NOT BAD.

SO REMEMBER, S UH, FIRST OFF, I WANNA JUST REMIND FOLKS, WE HAVE A FEW SLOTS LEFT FOR OUR OFFICE HOURS ON MARCH 25TH.

THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANYONE IN THE COMMUNITY TO COME AND MEET WITH ME, WHETHER IT BE IN PERSON, UH, VIRTUAL, OR BY PHONE.

I'M AVAILABLE FROM THREE TO 7:00 PM PLEASE SIGN UP ON OUR WEBSITE, COME MEET WITH ME, SHARE WITH ME WHAT YOU'RE THINKING, WHAT WHAT MATTERS TO YOU, AND WHAT THE CITY CAN DO BETTER.

UM, AND THEN TO CONTINUE OUR WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH RECOGNITION OF UNSUNG HEROES, I HAVE THE HONOR OF RECOGNIZING SENIOR POLICE OFFER POLICE OFFICER NELSON TORRES, WHO IS HERE WITH US TODAY.

OFFICER, PLEASE STAND UP.

OFFICER TORRES HAS DEDICATED HER LIFE TO PUBLIC SERVICE.

FIRST, ANSWERING THE CALL TO DEFEND OUR NATION AS A PROUD MEMBER OF THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS.

JOINING IN SEPTEMBER, 2001 AND SERVING IN THE IRAQ WAR IN 2003, OFFICER THOUGHTS CONTINUED HER PUBLIC SERVICE BY JOINING THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHERE SHE HAS FAITHFULLY SERVED THE RESIDENTS OF HOUSTON FOR 19 YEARS IN VARIOUS ROLES ACROSS THE DEPARTMENT.

ON TOP OF HER EXCELLENT PUBLIC SERVICE OFFICER TORTAS HAS RAISED TWO WONDERFUL CHILDREN AND SHARED 23 YEARS OF MARRIAGE WITH HER HUSBAND MANUEL.

SO, COLLEAGUES, PLEASE JOIN ME IN THANKING OFFICER TORRES FOR HER IMMENSE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.

COUNCILMAN CARTER.

UH, I JUST WANNA IN, IN HONOR OF WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, I JUST WANNA WELCOME BACK OUR COLLEAGUE TARSHA JACKSON.

IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU BACK AROUND.

SHE DOES LOOK RESTED.

COUNCILOR COUNCIL EVAN SHABA.

IN THE COMMUNITY FOR TWO IMPORTANT ENGAGEMENTS.

UM, I WANT TO BEGIN BY THANKING YOU AND YOUR TEAM, SPECIFICALLY JOE ALLEN AND STEFANI, FOR THE WORK BEING DONE IN DISTRICT DEED TO ADDRESS HEAVY TRASH AND ILLEGAL DUMPING THROUGH YOUR NEW INITIATIVE.

AND THESE ARE ISSUES OUR RESIDENTS EXPERIENCE IN REAL TIME.

AND THE COORDINATION BETWEEN YOUR OFFICE AND OUR DISTRICT TO RESPOND CLEAN AND STAY ENGAGED HAS NOT GONE UNNOTICED.

WE APPRECIATE THE CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP AND THE INTENTIONAL FOCUS ON KEEPING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS CLEAN, SAFE AND RESPECTED.

THAT LEVEL OF RESPONSIVENESS MATTERS TO OUR COMMUNITIES, AND WE THANK YOU FOR IT.

UH, LOOKING AHEAD, WE HAVE SEVERAL IMPORTANT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTS AND WHAT WE PROUDLY CALL THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.

THIS THURSDAY, MARCH 19TH, WE WILL BE OUT

[03:25:01]

AT 6:30 PM WE WILL JOIN THE MCGREGOR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD NUMBER 83, MEETING AT GOOD HOPE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, 30 15 NORTH MCGREGOR WAY.

THIS MEETING WILL CONTINUE IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS AROUND NEIGHBORHOOD CONDITIONS, INCLUDING NON PERMITTED STRUCTURES, SHORT TERM RENTAL ACTIVITY, AND OVERALL COMMUNITY STABILITY.

LATER THAT EVENING AT 7:00 PM WE WILL JOIN THE HALL GILL GENERAL BODY MEETING AT 1301 TEXAS AVENUE.

WE APPRECIATE THE HALL'S HALL GIS CONTINUED ADVOCACY AND PARTNERSHIP IN ADDRESSING QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES ACROSS OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.

AND THIS SATURDAY, MARCH THE 21ST AT 9:00 AM WE WILL CELEBRATE THE ANN TAYLOR PARK REOPENING CEREMONY.

THAT FAMILY HAS SUCH A WONDERFUL HISTORY, ESPECIALLY DURING THE LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO, UH, AT 1145, UH, ALAMEDA ROAD.

I'VE KNOWN MOLLY STEVENSON FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

UH, THIS, MY BROTHER, I'LL HAVE TO RE SAY THIS.

MY BROTHER WAS A COWBOY, AND SO HE KEPT US ENGAGED AND HE WOULD RIDE DOWN THE STREET IN HIS HORSE AND PARK IN MY MOTHER'S BACKYARD.

UM, THIS REOPENING MARK'S MEANINGFUL INVESTMENT IN GREEN SPACE AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS IN THE AREA.

AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO JOINING COMMUNITY FOR THAT CELEBRATION.

DISTRICT D CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS, WHICH ARE VERY IMPORTANT, RESPONSIVENESS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

I WANNA HIGHLIGHT AND CERTAINLY CONGRATULATE OUR COLLEAGUE, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ, FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE MS ONE 50.

UH, I DID A LITTLE, A FEW RIDES BACK IN THE DAY.

I DIDN'T, I NEVER MADE IT TO THAT RIDE ON THE BIKE, BUT I WAS A SAG, UH, WHICH IS THE ONE THAT COMES IN THE TRUCK TO RESCUES PEOPLE.

AND HOPEFULLY YOU WON'T HAVE TO UTILIZE THAT, BUT, BUT I USED TO BE, UH, ONE OF THE DRIVERS OF THE SAG AND CERTAINLY, I DON'T THINK SHE MADE IT DOWN HERE, BUT I CERTAINLY WANNA HIGHLIGHT CC SCOTT.

CC SCOTT IS NEW TO MY OFFICE, BUT SHE IS CERTAINLY NOT NEW TO THE COUNCIL OFFICE.

SHE ALSO HAS, UH, GOTTEN HER FIVE YEAR PEN, AND I'M VERY, VERY GLAD THAT I INHERITED HER.

BUT SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN A PERSON THAT HAS WORKED WITH DISTRICT D UNOFFICIALLY.

UH, AND SO NOW SHE'S THERE OFFICIALLY, AND I WANNA CERTAINLY HIGHLIGHT HER IN HER SERVICE.

AND SHE'S, SHE'S HIT THE GROUND, UH, RUNNING AND IS DOING A TREMENDOUS JOB.

AND SO I WANNA, UH, URGE THE CONSTITUENTS TO CERTAINLY REACH OUT AND GET THE DISTRICT D@HOUSTONTX.GOV.

REACH OUT TO THAT EMAIL ADDRESS SO THAT YOU CAN GET THE NEWSLETTER.

AND SO, CERTAINLY THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL WEEK, AND CERTAINLY I DO APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT IS BEING DONE TO UPLIFT DISTRICT D.

AND CERTAINLY THIS CON THIS CONCLUDES WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.

COUNCILMAN DAVIS.

MEDINA, SAUL RUDO AND THE PUBLIC WORKS GOVERNMENT RELATIONS TEAM FOR THEIR ASSISTANT.

UM, I'D FIRST LIKE TO THANK PUBLIC LIBRARY DIRECTOR SANDY GUARD AND HER STAFF, UH, CHIEF DIAZ, CHIEF COLLIE, REBECCA WILLIAMS FOR A GREAT MEETING HELD LAST WEEK, UH, WITH THE MINISTER ADVISORY BOARD TO THE MAYOR AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY'S CONCOURSE MEETING ROOM.

AS YOU KNOW, MAYOR, YOU GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY EACH MONTH TO MEET AT THE MAYOR'S CONFERENCE ROOM, BUT DUE TO THE SIZE OF THE MEETING, UH, WITH ALMOST A HUNDRED PASTORS, WE COULD NOT FURTHER THEM.

SO WE REACHED OUT TO THE PUBLIC LIBRARY DIRECTOR.

GOD WELCOMED US, AND IT WAS A PHENOMENAL MEETING.

CHIEF DIAZ, I WANT TO THANK CHIEF TO SPEAK TO US ABOUT ISSUES RELATED, UH, TO CRIME AND HOMELESSNESS.

UH, DIAZ SPOKE TO US, CHIEF DIAZ SPOKE TO US AND EMPHASIZED THE CONTINUED NEED FOR ALL OF US TO WORK TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF NEW AMERICANS AND IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES FOR PROVIDING TRANSLATION SERVICES FOR OUR MEETING.

WE HAVE A ROBUST GROUP OF PASTOR, FAITH LEADERS OF ALL RACES, ALL DENOMINATIONS.

WE ALL COME TOGETHER, UH, IN ONE PLACE.

SO WE, UH, WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR OF YOUR OFFICE FOR PROVIDING US THE ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM AS WE BRING IN DIFFERENT, UH, DEPARTMENT HEADS.

ADDRESSING THE GROUP OF FAITH LEADERS.

THE MINISTRY ADVISORY BOARD, AS WE KNOW, UM, IS STARTED OFF AND WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND HAVE BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF THAT IN WHICH WE ARE FAITH LEADERS WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY.

THEY, WE, OUR FAITH LEADERS DO SO MUCH THAT, UH, IS NOT SPOKEN MUCH OF.

AND SO WE REALLY WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THAT.

ALSO, I WANT TO THANK ROBERTO

[03:30:01]

THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN HELPFUL.

AND THIS WEEK WE ARE ABLE TO HELP OUT WITH ISSUES WHERE ENTIRE SUBDIVISIONS WATER WAS TURNED OFF MISTAKENLY.

WITHIN 90 MINUTES, UH, OF REACHING OUT OUR OFFICE CONTACTED ROCK ROBERTO'S TEAM AND INSPECTOR CAME OUT, GOT THE RESIDENTS WATER TURNED BACK ON.

THEY ACTUALLY, UH, CALLED OUR STAFF YESTERDAY TO SAY THANK YOU AND ALSO TO SEND THANKS TO PUBLIC WORKS TEAM.

UH, WE APPRECIATE THEIR ASSISTANCE BECAUSE QUICK ACTIONS LIKE THAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE, UH, IN THE PUBLIC.

AND CERTAINLY IT SHOWS THE RESIDENTS THAT THE CITY IS TRYING TO ASSIST THEM IN MATTERS THAT ARE CRITICAL AND ESPECIALLY THOSE LEVELS OF MATTERS.

NEXT, I WANNA REMIND EVERYONE TO ATTEND THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT'S UPCOMING ANNUAL SPRING ACTION PLAN MEETING, TAKING PLACE ON TUESDAY, MARCH 31ST AT THE A EAF COMMUNITY CENTER.

THIS IS RESIDENTS OPPORTUNITY TO LET US KNOW HOW TO SPEND, UH, THAT DOLLARS IN THEIR COMMUNITY WITH REGARDS TO HOUSING NEEDS.

UH, I CANNOT STRESS HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS AS THE VICE CHAIR OF THE, UH, HOUSING AFFORDABILITY.

AND WE CERTAINLY WANT TO STAND OUT TO EVERYONE TO ATTEND.

ALL OF YOUR FEEDBACK WILL BE HEARD AND WILL INFORM, UH, US HOW THE DEPARTMENT ALLOCATE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO ADDRESS AFFORDABLE HOUSING AMONG OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS IN, UH, IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

AND LASTLY, BUT NOT COMPLETE LAST, I JUST WANTED TO SEND WARM THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS TO ARMY CORPORAL LONNIE FIELDS FAMILY AND LOVED ONES.

HE WAS A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN, A CAREER WAR VETERAN WHOSE BODY WAS NEVER RETURNED HOME UNTIL HIS REMAINS WERE OFFICIALLY IDENTIFIED LAST YEAR.

UH, HE'S BEING HONORED AND MEMORIALIZED TODAY AT THE HOUSTON VA CEMETERY, AND FINALLY GETTING THE WELCOME HOME HE TRULY DESERVES AND HIS ENTIRE FAMILY.

AND THEN CERTAINLY, UH, AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, I'M ALWAYS OUT THERE REPRESENTING, UH, THIS COUNCIL, UH, AS WELL AS MYSELF AS A VETERANS IN HOW WE WORK.

I WANT THE LAST MAYOR TO HIGHLIGHT COLLEAGUES, UM, THE INITIATIVE THAT I, UM, PROPOSED TO MAYOR WHITMEYER AND, UH, CHIEF DIAZ CALLED PPP.

MOST OF US HAVE RECENT HAVE HEARD THAT THERE'S A RISE IN CRIME AMONG OUR YOUNG YOUTH, THE TEENAGERS, WHICH HAS BECOME A DIRECT CONCERN, NOT ONLY OF THE MAYOR AND AND CHIEF DIAZ, THE HPD, BUT TO OUR FAKE COMMUNITY AND EVERYWHERE.

WE SAW RECENTLY SOME OF THE ACTIONS THAT WENT ON AT THE RODEO.

AND, UH, THESE ARE THE TYPE OF THINGS THAT WE DON'T WANT TO SPREAD ACROSS OUR CITY, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN WE ARE HOLDING EVENTS THAT PROMOTE THE CITY.

AND, UH, AND SO WE HAVE TAKEN THE LEADERSHIP, UM, AND WORKING WITH THESE, THE LAW ENFORCEMENTS, NOT ONLY HPD, BUT OUR CONSTABLES, OUR SHERIFF DEPARTMENT, UH, IN INTRODUCING THIS PLAN CALLED PPP, WHICH STANDS FOR POLICE PASTOR AND PEOPLE.

WE CAN COMPLAIN ABOUT ISSUES.

WE CAN, YOU KNOW, BUT WE HAVE TO BE INVOLVED.

WE HAVE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ALLOW OURSELVES TO PARTICIPATE AND HOW WE CURTAIL IT.

UH, EACH YEAR AT THE JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER, UH, WE GO OVER, UH, I'VE WENT THERE AND, UH, DURING THE CHRISTMAS TIME TO KIND OF REACH OUT TO EVEN YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THOSE FACILITIES.

BUT IF WE COULD PREVENT THAT BEFORE THEY GET INTO THOSE FACILITIES IS VERY IMPORTANT.

SO I WANT TO, UH, CHIEF DIAZ MET WITH US A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, HIS OFFICE, AND WE'RE MEETING WITH ERIC CARR AND BRANDON LOVE, UH, AS PART OF THIS INITIATIVE.

WE ALSO HAVE BEEN REACHED BY THE DA'S OFFICE WHO WANTS TO ASSIST US AND WORK WITH THE PLAN.

CRIME STOPPERS IS ALREADY WORKING WITH US, SO WE, WE WANNA REACH OUT AND DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

THEY HELP CURTAIL THE CRIME AND THE RISING OF CRIME IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

SO WE PRAY THAT ALL WOULD GO WELL, AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE.

ALL THAT WE HAVE FOR THE, UH, AT LARGE TO THANK YOU.

TO KINGWOOD AND HELPING US OUT UP THERE.

UH, THIS PAST SATURDAY, WE COMPLETED, UH, ANOTHER MEDIAN MADNESS EVENT OUT IN KINGWOOD.

WANNA THANK COUNCILWOMAN ALCORN FOR MAKING THE LONG TRIP OUT

[03:35:01]

UH, HAD ABOUT 60 VOLUNTEERS, A LOT OF YOUTH.

UH, IT WAS REALLY NICE TO SEE WITH, UH, ALL THE KIDS.

UH, ALSO WANTED TO THANK, UH, HEB AND CHICK-FIL-A WHO KIND OF, UH, SPONSORED THE EVENT WITH, UH, DONATIONS.

AND THEN OBVIOUSLY HPD AND HOUSTON PARKS WERE, WERE OUT THERE TO ASSIST.

SO IT WAS, IT WAS A REALLY GREAT EVENT.

UH, YESTERDAY, UH, I WAS AT THE, UH, BAY, A EVENT FOR THE SWEDISH DELEGATION IN CLEAR LAKE, AND IT IS A SPACE AS AN ARENA EVENT THEY HAD.

AND, UH, THEY'RE TALKING WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT INDUSTRY ABOUT DOING BUSINESS WITH THEM.

AND, UH, A LOT OF GOOD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DOWN THERE.

THE SW SWEDEN'S CROWN PRINCESS WAS THERE, UH, ALONG WITH THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

SO IT WAS, UH, REALLY QUITE THE EVENT.

AND BEHE REALLY DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB.

UH, SOMETHING ELSE I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, NOT SURE IF EVERYBODY SAW IT, BUT THE BAKER INSTITUTE JUST CAME OUT WITH A STUDY, UH, SHOWING HOW MUCH WE ARE GIVING OUT IN TAX ABATEMENTS FOR LOW INCOME HOUSING IN 2020.

IT WAS $7.7 MILLION IN FIVE YEARS.

IT GREW 15 FOLD TO $124.5 MILLION.

UH, WE ALSO HAD SOME ISSUES AT, UH, WITH THE REPORTING THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING TO SHOW THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY GIVING LOW INCOME HOUSING.

UH, HCAD RECENTLY REVOKED THREE OF THE, UH, TAX ABATEMENTS.

THE STATE RE-INSTITUTED TWO OF THE THREE.

THEY DIDN'T TELL THEM WHY THEY DID IT, AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE WITH THEIR REPORTING.

SO I THINK THERE'S REALLY SOME GAPS THERE.

UH, THE OTHER KIND OF TROUBLING THING IS THEY ARE PROJECTING THAT THE 10 YEAR COST IS GONNA BE $2.2 BILLION TO THE COUNTY.

SO I THINK WE'RE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT ALL WE GETTING OUR MONEY'S WORTH WITH THESE TAX ABATEMENTS, ARE THEY PROVIDING THE HOUSING THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE PROVIDING, AND, AND WE'RE REALLY GETTING THE BANK FOR OUR BUCK.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UH, COUNCILMAN EVAN SHABBAT.

SHE WANTS TO GO AGAIN AT THE END.

I CAN LATER.

UH, COUNCILMAN CAYMAN.

UM, THANK YOU.

I JUST WANTED TO ADD, UH, SHE'S DONE A LOT OF WORK, I THINK, THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, BUT SHE IS BEING HONORED ON FRIDAY, AND SHE'S AN HONOREE FOR THE 2026 WOMEN MAKING HISTORY TOUR, WHICH IS FRIDAY AND THE CITY HALL CEREMONY, THIS TOUR GOES TO ATLANTA, MONTGOMERY, WALLY, BALTIMORE, AND HOUSTON.

AND SO THE EVENT IS, UM, FRIDAY, MARCH 20TH.

UH, THE DOORS OPEN AT FIVE.

THE PROGRAM BEGINS AT 6:00 PM IN THE, IN THE LEGACY ROOM.

AND I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT TREVOR, UM, TO LET HER KNOW THAT WE DO APPRECIATE HER CONTINUED WORK, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THANK YOU.

COUNCILMAN CAMAN.

I'M SORRY.

NO, NO PROBLEM AT ALL.

OUT MULTIPLE TIMES TO SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME TYPE OF REMEDIATION.

UM, MAYOR, I HAVE TWO ISSUES THAT WE NEED HELP WITH IN THE DISTRICT.

UM, IN 2020, WE PUT, WE WORKED WITH THE DEPARTMENT, UM, AND A BARRIER WAS PLACED AT, UM, TRAVIS AND DRYDEN NEAR THE MEDICAL CENTER, BECAUSE SO MANY FOLKS FROM THE MED CENTER WERE CUTTING THROUGH.

AND A BARRIER WAS PUT IN PLACE TO ALLOW TRAFFIC OUT OF THAT STREET, BUT PRE PROHIBIT.

SO IT BECAME KIND OF A ONE WAY EXIT OUT.

THERE WAS A WATER LEAK, UM, IN 25 THAT REQUIRED THE REMOVAL OF THAT BARRIER.

HOWEVER, THE BARRIER WAS NEVER PUT BACK.

AND WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE, VERY CLOSE CALLS BETWEEN NEIGHBORS AND RESIDENTS AND DRIVERS COMING IN.

AND ALL RESIDENTS ARE ASKING FOR IS THAT BARRIER TO BE PUT BACK THE WAY THAT IT WAS.

UM, SO WE HAVE ESCALATED, WE ARE WORKING, UM, HOUSTON WATER IS THE ONE I BELIEVE THAT REMOVED IT, BUT THEY COULDN'T PUT IT BACK.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO WORK WITH TDO WITHIN PUBLIC WORKS, BUT I PROMISED RESIDENTS, AGAIN, WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THE SYSTEM, BUT I PROMISED RESIDENTS I WOULD DISCUSS IT BECAUSE THEY'RE SO CONCERNED RIGHT NOW.

UM, AND THIS WAS, AGAIN, SOMETHING PUT IN PLACE YEARS AGO, BUT WE NEED IT PUT BACK.

UH, THE SECOND ISSUE IS WE TALK ABOUT, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING ON 21ST STREET.

IN BETWEEN DURHAM AND SHEPHERD, UH, MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING WENT UP, I BELIEVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, GREAT PARTNERS, WE PUT NO.

IF YOU'RE, AND YOU'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA, IT'S A VERY NARROW STREET IN BETWEEN DURHAM AND SHEPHERD.

ON 21ST, WE DID NO PARKING ON ONE SIDE.

BUT ALL THESE CARS, EVEN THOUGH THE APARTMENTS HAVE A PARKING GARAGE OR PARKING, AND IT BECOMES AT ALL HOURS A ONE, ONLY ONE CAR CAN FIT.

BUT IT'S TWO-WAY TRAFFIC.

AND THERE'S LITERALLY GRIDLOCK GOING IN.

WE'VE ASKED PARKING TO GO

[03:40:01]

'CAUSE IT'S GETTING SO DANGEROUS.

YOU'RE HAVING CARS TURNING FROM SHEPHERD AND DURHAM AND LITERALLY GRIDLOCKING HEAD TO HEAD ON THIS INTERSECTION.

SO IF WE CAN GET SOME TYPE OF RELIEF THERE, UH, FOR DRIVERS, BECAUSE IT'S JUST DANGEROUS AT THIS POINT, WE WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, SUPPORT AND HELP THERE.

THOSE ARE OUR ISSUES.

I WANNA SPOTLIGHT SOME GREAT THINGS.

UH, OUR ANNUAL RAIN BARREL SALE, UH, IS GOING TO BE IN APRIL.

AND RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT C CAN REGISTER THROUGH OUR WEBSITE STARTING THIS WEEK.

AGAIN, THESE ARE SUBSIDIZED AT $10.

USUALLY RAIN BARRELS COST $150, AND I WANNA THANK PUBLIC WORKS FOR WORKING WITH US YET AGAIN ANOTHER YEAR.

IT'S A TERRIFIC PARTNERSHIP.

RAIN BARRELS ARE AWESOME.

UH, AND SO DISTRICT C RESIDENTS CAN GET THOSE.

COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ, THANK YOU FOR ELEVATING THAT.

THERE IS AN ELECTION GOING ON.

UM, DISTRICT C ALWAYS TURNS OUT WE KNOW WHETHER IT'S ENGAGING AT, UH, THROUGH 3 1 1 THROUGH OUR OFFICE THROUGH PUBLIC SESSION.

BUT DISTRICT C ALSO VOTES.

AND I WANNA ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS UPCOMING ELECTION, AS HARD AS THAT IS FOR ME TO SAY.

UM, BUT ELECTION FOR THE SPECIAL FOR DISTRICT C BEGINS TODAY, MARCH 18TH THROUGH, UH, EARLY VOTING IS THROUGH MARCH 31ST.

ELECTION DAY IS APRIL 4TH.

POLLS ARE OPEN SEVEN TO SEVEN, EXCEPT SUNDAY NOON TO SEVEN.

UH, YOU CAN ALWAYS GO TO HARRIS VOTES.COM TO FIND YOUR EARLY POLLING LOCATIONS.

BUT IN DISTRICT C, AGAIN, WE KNOW, UH, WHERE THOSE ARE.

WE'RE WE'RE TESTED AND TRUE TO PARTICIPATION.

I WANNA THANK ALL THE POLL WORKERS AND VOLUNTEERS, UH, THAT AGAIN, THIS HAS BEEN A VERY BUSY ELECTION SEASON.

THERE ARE MULTIPLE RACES, UH, OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, AND WE APPRECIATE THEM VERY MUCH.

LASTLY, UM, TWO RECOGNITIONS.

I DIDN'T ASK KATE TO BE HERE BECAUSE WE EMBARRASSED HER ENOUGH RIGHT BEFORE HER WEDDING.

UH, BUT CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO HER.

AND ANTHONY, SHE ALSO, UM, JUST RECEIVED HER FIVE YEAR, UH, MARK, SO WE'LL BE CELEBRATING HER.

AND I WANTED TO PUBLICLY THANK HER FOR HER SERVICE TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND TO OUR OFFICE.

SHE'S ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE.

LASTLY, I WANNA WISH A HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, UH, TO MY HUSBAND, MATT.

WE CELEBRATED 14 YEARS TOGETHER.

EIGHT MARRIED, UH, YESTERDAY.

SO WE ALWAYS HAVE OUR ST.

PATRICK'S DAY ANNIVERSARY, AND I LOVE YOU, UH, WITH ALL MY HEART.

COUNCILMAN JACKSON.

UM, I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK EVERYONE AGAIN, UM, FOR YOUR THOUGHTS AND YOUR PRAYERS AS, UM, I RECOVERED, UM, FROM SURGERY.

I'M DOING GOOD.

I'M NOT 100.

IT IS NORMALLY A NINE MONTH HEALING PROCESS.

PROCESS, BUT, UM, BUT I'M DOING OKAY.

UM, I ALSO WANNA THANK MY STAFF, YOU KNOW, JUST FOR HOLDING IT DOWN WHILE, WHILE I WAS OUT AND THE CONSTITUENTS, THE LEADERS IN DISTRICT B, UM, FOR HOLDING IT DOWN AND ALLOWING ME THE TIME TO, UM, RECOVER.

AND SO, UM, JUST THANK YOU.

AND IT'S JUST BEEN A BLESSING TO, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVE FOLKS AROUND YOU THAT THAT IS OKAY WITH YOU HEALING.

SO, UM, THANK THEM.

AND THEN MARY, UH, MARY, THIS IS HER FIFTH YEAR AS WELL.

I WANT TO THANK HER FOR JUST THE AMAZING WORK.

WHEN WE CAME IN, WE CAME THROUGH DURING COVID.

UM, EVERYTHING WAS SHUT DOWN WHEN WE CAME INTO THE OFFICE.

WE CAME A YEAR AFTER, UM, OF THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS.

'CAUSE YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A LAWSUIT.

YEAH, .

BUT WE CAME IN, WE FIGURED IT OUT.

YOU, UM, THE FIRST TIME BEING IN PUBLIC, PUBLIC SERVICE.

UM, SHE CAME IN AND SHE JUST DO WHAT WE DID, WHAT WE KNEW HOW TO DO BECAUSE WE WERE WORKING FOR TOP, UM, TOGETHER.

UM, AND SO WE JUST CAME IN AND STARTED ORGANIZING OUR CONSTITUENTS AND SETTING UP MEETINGS.

THAT'S WHAT WE KNEW HOW TO DO.

AND SO I JUST WANNA THANK HER FOR JUST STICKING IN THERE WITH ME.

UM, AND EVERYONE HAVE A BLESSED DAY.

COUNCILMAN HUFFMAN.

AND I JUST WANT TO KIND OF, UM, ADD ON TO WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS SAID, UM, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE EVENTS THAT WENT DOWN ON AT THE RODEO ON SATURDAY AND THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON WHILE PEOPLE WERE HERE ON SPRING BREAK.

I WANNA THANK LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR THEIR QUICK RESPONSE OUT THERE.

AND I WANNA RECOGNIZE THE RODEO LEADERSHIP FOR, UM, TAKING SWIFT ACTION AND CLOSING DOWN THE CARNIVAL ORALLY.

I THINK THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY THE RIGHT DECISION.

UM, WHEN BEHAVIOR LIKE THAT HAPPENS, UM, IN HOUSTON, IT REALLY OVERSHADOWS THE, THE SPIRIT OF THE RODEO, WHICH IS ABOUT SCHOLARSHIPS AND KIDS AND FAMILIES AND ALL THE GOOD WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE IN HOUSTON.

SO WE CAN DO BETTER HOUSTON, AND THANK YOU LAW ENFORCEMENT.

THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR.

APPROACH HIM.