[00:00:05]
SIX.[Budget and Fiscal Affairs on March 31, 2026.]
COMMITTEE.I'M SALLY ALCORN, CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE.
I CALL THIS COMMITTEE TO ORDER AND WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IN ATTENDANCE, WE HAVE VICE MAYOR PRO TEM AMY PECK, COUNCIL MEMBER FRED FLICKINGER, COUN VICE CHAIR MARIO CASTILLO, COUNCIL MEMBER JULIAN RAMIREZ.
COUNCIL MEMBER TWILA CARTER AND STAFF FROM THE MAYOR PRO TEM MARTHA CASTEX TATUM'S OFFICE IN ATTENDANCE.
IF THERE'S ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC COMMENT, THERE'S A SIGN UP SHEET RIGHT THERE AT THE FRONT.
FEEL FREE TO DO SO, OR YOU MIGHT HAVE ALREADY SIGNED UP ONLINE.
TODAY'S IN GENERAL, WE'LL HAVE THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT.
WE'LL HAVE THE AUDIT DIVISION PRESENT FROM THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE.
WE'LL HAVE AN OVERVIEW OF MULTIFAMILY RE, THE MULTI-FAMILY RECYCLING PILOT PROGRAM PROGRAM.
WELCOME THOSE FROM SOLID WASTE.
AND BEFORE WE GET STARTED, JUST A FEW UPDATES.
AS YOU KNOW, IN THIS COMMITTEE, WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING, UH, THE OPEN SPACE ORDINANCE.
AND DURING THE LAST BUDGET AND FISCAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING, SOME OF YOU REQUESTED ADDITIONAL IN INFORMATION ON EXPENDITURES FROM FUND 40 35.
THIS IS THE FUND THAT HOLDS THE, THE PARK DEDICATION FEE.
THE FEE IN LIEU OF THIS INFORMATION, UM, THAT I GOT FROM H PART, HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO COUNCIL MEMBERS LAST WEEK ON MARCH 24TH.
IT'S ALSO BEEN UPLOADED TO THE BUDGET AND FISCAL AFFAIRS WEBSITE FOR PUBLIC VIEW.
SO IMPORTANT DATES TO, UM, ON THIS TOPIC OF THE OPEN SPACE ORDINANCE BY ORDINANCE, THEY, THEY PRESENT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AND THAT WILL BE DONE ON APRIL 30TH, THEN MAY 14TH, THERE WILL BE A PUBLIC HEARING AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON THE OPEN SPACE ORDINANCE.
THERE COULD POTENTIALLY BE AN ADDITIONAL HEARING ON MAY 28TH, AND THEN WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO THAT ORDINANCE COMING TO CITY COUNCIL ON JUNE 2ND TO, I MEAN, TO BFA.
AND, UM, AND THEN A PRESENTATION JUNE 2ND TO BFA, AND THEN IT WILL GO ON TO CITY COUNCIL.
UM, ALSO, IT'S ABOUT TO BE BUDGET TIME AT THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO THE BUDGET WILL BE RELEASED ON MAY 5TH.
UH, WE WILL GET THE FIVE YEAR FORECAST.
MAY 12TH THROUGH THE 19TH WILL BE THE BUDGET WORKSHOPS.
AND JORDAN WILL GET ALL THIS TO YOU.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIKE SCROUNGE TO WRITE IT DOWN RIGHT NOW, BUT MAY 16TH, WE'LL HAVE A BUDGET TOWN HALL AT FONDE REC CENTER, MAY 20TH.
THERE'LL BE A PUBLIC HEARING AT 9:00 AM ON THE BUDGET.
ALSO, THERE WILL BE A VIRTUAL BUDGET TOWN HALL AT 6:00 PM THAT, UH, MY VICE CHAIR, MARIO, MARIO CASTILLO, AND I WILL BE DOING THOSE TWO TOWN HALLS MAY 27TH, COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL SUBMIT AMENDMENTS HERE AT THE HORSESHOE.
AND JUNE 3RD WILL BE THE BUDGET VOTE.
AND AGAIN, WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE ALL THESE DATES EMAILED TO YOU, BUT JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A, A, A, YOU KNOW, OVERVIEW OF WHAT'S COMING.
ALSO, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM JED GREENFIELD LAST WEEK ANNOUNCING THE LAUNCH OF THE STRATEGIC PURCHASING DIVISION SPEND CONNECT DASHBOARD THAT IS A CENTRALIZED SPEND ANALYSIS DASHBOARD DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A CLEAR, COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF HOW PUBLIC FUNDS ARE UTILIZED ACROSS ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS AND PROCUREMENT CATEGORIES.
THIS TOOL BRINGS TOGETHER PROCUREMENT CONTRACT AND EXPENDITURE DATA TO CREATE A SINGLE SOURCE OF TRUTH FOR MONITORING FINANCIAL ACTIVITY, AND SUPPORTING DATA-DRIVEN DECISION MAKING.
THIS WILL BE A PRIMARY TOOL FOR OUR CATEGORY COUNCILS AS WE MAKE STRATEGIC DECISIONS.
YOU KNOW, HOW EY HAD THOSE CATEGORIES ALL LINED UP.
THIS IS NOW HOW THEY'LL BE DECIDING ABOUT CONTRACT MANAGEMENT TO HELP.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE A COUPLE.
IF YOU WANNA LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS, THERE'S GONNA BE A WORKSHOP.
HSPD IS GOING TO GIVE APRIL 1ST FROM TWO 30 TO THREE 30, AND THEN APRIL 8TH FROM 10 TO 11.
THOSE TWO WORKSHOPS WILL BE OFFERED IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN WATCHING THOSE.
AND WE'RE ALSO GOING TO HAVE AT OUR QUARTERLY MEETING AT THE NEXT BFA MEETING, JED WILL KIND OF GIVE SOME MORE DETAIL AROUND THAT.
'CAUSE WE'LL HAVE OUR QUARTERLY UPDATE ON THE ERNST AND YOUNG PROGRESS.
WITH THAT, WE WILL START WITH THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORTER REPORT.
WE HAVE FINANCE DIRECTOR, MELISSA DEBOWSKI, AND DIRECTOR OF FINANCIAL REPORTING FROM THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE WILL JONES TO PRESENT THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT.
UM, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL UPDATE FOR THE PERIOD ENDING FEBRUARY 28TH, 2026.
SO IN THE GENERAL FUND FOR OUR FUND BALANCE, WE'RE PROJECTING AN ENDING FUND BALANCE OF
[00:05:01]
ABOUT 307 MILLION FOR FY 26 OR ROUGHLY 11.7% OF EXPENDITURES LIST DEBT IN PEGO, THAT'S ABOUT 16.9 MILLION LOWER THAN THE FINANCES ESTIMATES.MAINLY DUE TO OUR MORE CONSERVATIVE REVENUE PROJECTION.
WE REMAIN ABOVE THE CITY'S RESERVE TARGET WITH ABOUT 110.7 ABOVE THE 7.5% OF TOTAL EXPENDITURES, EXCLUDING DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO IN RESERVE.
SINCE LAST MONTH'S REPORT, WE'VE INCREASED OUR REVENUE PROJECTION BY ABOUT 39 MILLION.
UM, MOST OF THE INCREASES DRIVEN BY SALES TAX, WHICH IS UP 22 MILLION, UH, DUE TO HIGHER COLLECTIONS.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE AMBULANCE RELATED FEES ADDING ABOUT 14 MILLION DUE TO HIGHER USES IN COLLECTIONS.
WE ALSO SAW SMALLER INCREASES FROM REFUNDS AND RECOVERIES, INCLUDING PAYMENTS FROM VERIZON, ABOUT 2.3 MILLION TRANSFERS FROM PARK HOUSTON, ABOUT 1.8 MILLION AND SLIGHTLY HIGHER.
UH, LAND SALE PROCEEDS ABOUT 0.3 MILLION.
THESE GAINS WERE PARTIALLY OFFSET BY SMALL DECLINES IN T ADMINISTRATIVE FEE AND DIRECT SERVICE REIMBURSEMENTS BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS.
SO MOVING ON TO THE EXPENDITURES FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
ON THE SPENDING SIDE, WE'VE INCREASED OUR PROJECTION BY ABOUT 68 MILLION.
THE BIGGEST DRIVERS ARE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT UP ABOUT 51 MILLION, MAINLY DUE TO OVERTIME TERMINATION PAYOUTS EQUIPMENT, AND IT RELATED COSTS.
AND OF THAT 51 MILLION, ABOUT 39 MILLION OF THAT IS RELATED TO THE OVERTIME COST, WHICH IS IN LINE WITH WHAT I WAS PROJECTING BACK IN FEBRUARY.
SO NOW WE'RE SEEING THE, THE PROJECTION 39 MILLION.
SO, AND FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE'RE UP ABOUT 16 MILLION, LARGELY FROM, AGAIN, OVERTIME AND IT EXPENSES.
AND FOR POLICE, THE OVERTIME IS ABOUT 11.8 MILLION.
OF THAT 16 MILLION, UH, WE ALSO HAVE ABOUT 4.5 MILLION IN HIGHER HEALTH BENEFIT COSTS ACROSS DEPARTMENTS, ABOUT 1.6 MILLION FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT IN GENERAL GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING, UH, THE HOUSTON FORENSIC SCIENCE SERVICES OF ABOUT 900,000.
AND THE ENTERPRISE RISK ASSESSMENT WORK ABOUT 600,000.
THESE INCREASES ARE SLIGHTLY OFFSET BY VACANCY SAVINGS, UM, AND ALSO, UH, LOWER INTERNAL SERVICE CHARGEBACK COSTS.
SO ON THE BOTTOM LINE FOR THE GENERAL FUND, REVENUES ARE TRENDING UPWARD THIS MONTH, BUT EXPENDITURES ARE GROWING FASTER, PRIMARILY DUE TO THE OVERTIME AND PERSONNEL RELATED COSTS AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO MOVING ON TO THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS OVERALL, WE'RE SEEING MIXED RESULTS ACROSS OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS WITH SOME REVENUE DECLINES OFFSET BY EXPENSE SAVINGS AND HIGHER NON-OPERATING REVENUE.
STARTING WITH THE AVIATION FUND, OPERATING REVENUES ARE DOWN ABOUT 27 MILLION, MAINLY DUE TO LOWER TERMINAL RENT AND RETAIL ACTIVITY THROUGH LANDING FEES.
THE LENDING FEES ARE HELPING OFFSET SOME OF THAT DECLINE.
OPERATING EXPENSES ARE DOWN ABOUT 5 MILLION, LARGELY FROM SAVINGS AND SUPPLIES SERVICES AND DELAYED EQUIPMENT PURCHASES.
DESPITE, UH, SOME HIGHER PERSONNEL COSTS AND NONE OPERATING REVENUE SAW A 12 MILLION INCREASE IN INTEREST.
EARNINGS OPERATING TRANSFERS TO THE AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT FUND ARE DOWN ABOUT 9 MILLION IN THE COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM.
OPERATING REVENUES ARE DOWN ABOUT 74 MILLION, PRIMARILY FROM LOWER WATER AND SEWER COLLECTIONS.
OPERATING EXPENSES ARE UP ABOUT 1.6 MILLION, DRIVEN BY AN ACCOUNTING ADJUSTMENT FOR THE 3 1 1 SERVICES, BUT OFFSET BY PERSONNEL SAVINGS AND LOWER CONTRACT COSTS.
AND NON-OPERATING REVENUES ARE UP ABOUT 37 MILLION, MAINLY FROM IMPACT FEES, JUDGEMENTS AND CLAIMS AND RECOVERIES AND REFUNDS AND TRANSFERS OUT ARE DOWN ABOUT 83 MILLION, LARGELY DUE TO LOWER TRANSFER TO THE STORM WATER FUND AND ACCOUNTING ADJUSTMENT FOR 3 1 1 SERVICES AND DELAYS IN CAPITAL EQUIPMENT PURCHASES.
SO MOVING ON TO THE DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL FUNDS.
UM, FOR THE AVALARA FUND SPENDING IS SLIGHTLY DOWN DUE TO LOWER PAYMENTS TO THE CHAPTER, CHAPTER THREE 80 PROGRAM OF ABOUT 700,000.
AND THE METRO FUND REVENUES ARE DOWN ABOUT 5 MILLION DUE TO LOWER REIMBURSEMENT FROM METRO EXPENDITURES ARE DOWN ABOUT 2 MILLION, MAINLY FROM LOWER FUEL MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT COSTS.
SO MOVING ON TO THE STORM WATER FUND REVENUES ARE DOWN ABOUT 37 MILLION, MAINLY DUE TO FEWER TRANSFERS NEEDED FROM THE COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM.
AND EXPENSES ARE DOWN ABOUT 20 MILLION, AND THAT'S LARGELY FROM LOWER DEMOLITION ACTIVITY FOR THE OTHER FUNDS.
THERE ARE NO SIGNIFICANT, UH, NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES THIS MONTH FOR THE CONVENTION ENTERTAINMENT FUND OR THE REMAINING DRAINAGE FUNDS.
SO MOVING ON TO COMMERCIAL PAPER AND BONDS, THE CITY AIMS TO KEEP NO MORE THAN 20% OF ITS DEBT IN A VARIABLE RATE FORM, WHICH IS BELOW THE 25% LEVEL RECOMMENDED BY RATING AGENCIES.
AT TIMES, SOME ENTERPRISE FUNDS MAY TEMPORARILY EXCEED THIS LEVEL, TYPICALLY WHEN FUNDING LARGE CAPITAL PROJECTS OR EXPANSION, SUCH AS THE GEORGE R. BROWN PROJECT.
AND ON MAY 5TH, THE CITY PRICED 1.38 BILLION IN BONDS TO RESTRUCTURED DEBT AND
[00:10:01]
FUND PHASE ONE OF THE CONVENTION DISTRICT TRANSFORMATION PROJECT.DESPITE SOME MARKET VOLATILITY AND INVESTORS DEMAND WAS VERY STRONG, ALLOWING US TO TIGHTEN PRICING AND AND SECURE AN ALL IN COST OF 4.85%.
THE REMAINING PORTION OF THE FINANCING WILL CLOSE TOMORROW.
TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT FUNDING, AGAIN, WANT TO THANK OUR CITY TREASURER, VERNON LEWIS, OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, MELISSA DKI, AND THE ENTIRE FINANCIAL WORKING GROUP ON THE, THEIR WORK ON THIS.
UH, AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, JUST LET US KNOW.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO A, A SMOOTH CLOSING TOMORROW.
AND KIND OF MOVING ON TO MY FINAL THOUGHT, UM, ON THE GENERAL FUND AND WHERE WE ARE, UH, AS WE MOVE INTO GENERAL APPROPRIATION AS A REMINDER FOR COUNSEL, THAT IS WHERE WE TRUE UP THE CURRENT YEAR'S BUDGET.
SO IF WE TRUE UP OUR FY 26, AND THAT ALSO SETS THE BASELINE FOR THE UPCOMING FY 27 BUDGET.
REVENUES HAVE REDUCED SINCE THE BUDGET WAS ADOPTED.
ON THE CONTROLLER SIDE, IT'S ABOUT 20 MILLION.
IF WE RECALL, WE HAD TO REDUCE ABOUT 52 MILLION IN PROPERTY TAX REVENUE, UH, THAT WAS OFFSET BY, UM, PARTIALLY OFFSET BY, UH, INCREASED SALES TAX.
UM, ALSO OUR EXPENSES, UM, HOWEVER, THEY'VE INCREASED DRASTICALLY ABOUT 78 MILLION.
AND THAT'S BEEN DRIVEN BY FIRE AND POLICE, MAINLY DUE TO OVERTIME.
AND SO, AND BASED ON THIS MONTH'S REPORT, THE NET IMPACT TO THE FUND BALANCE IS A DECREASE OF 29 MILLION, BRINGING THE CONTROLLER'S PROJECTED DEFICIT TO 174 MILLION.
AND THIS IS NEARLY A HUNDRED MILLION HIGHER THAN WHEN THE BUDGET WAS ADOPTED WITH A $76 MILLION GAP.
AND THEN ALSO, UH, WE, WE ARE STILL WAITING ON, WE DETAILS ON THE 17.3 MILLION IN CATEGORY MANAGEMENT SAVINGS THAT'S BAKED INTO THE BUDGET.
UM, IF THOSE SAVINGS AREN'T REALIZED, THAT'LL BE ADDED ON TOP OF, UH, THE DEFICIT THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY REPORTING.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO WELCOME COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN, DISTRICT C TO THE HORSESHOE DIRECTOR.
THIS IS THE EIGHT PLUS FOUR FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING FEBRUARY 28TH, 2026.
FISCAL YEAR 26 PROJECTIONS ARE BASED ON EIGHT MONTHS OF ACTUAL RESULTS AND FOUR MONTHS OF PROJECTIONS FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
OUR REVENUE PROJECTION IS 3.5 MILLION LOWER THAN THE ADOPTED BUDGET, AND 38.4 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE PRIOR MONTH.
THE VARIANCE FROM THE PRIOR MONTH PROJECTION IS PRIMARILY DUE TO AN $18.3 MILLION INCREASE IN SALES TAX REVENUE DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED SALES TAX RECEIPTS.
AND $14.2 MILLION INCREASE IN CHARGES FOR SERVICES, PRIMARILY DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED AMBULANCE FEES ALSO INCLUDES A $4.5 MILLION INCREASE IN MISCELLANEOUS AND OTHER, PRIMARILY DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED REIMBURSEMENT FROM CENTER POINT ENERGY, AS WELL AS THE VERIZON REBATE.
$2.6 MILLION INCREASE IN OTHER FRANCHISE FEES DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED CABLE TV FRANCHISE FEES AND SOLID WASTE TO FRANCHISE FEES.
$1.8 MILLION INCREASE IN TRANSFER FROM OTHER FUNDS DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED TRANSFER FROM THE PARK HOUSTON FUND.
AND A 400 AND, UH, $56,000 INCREASE IN SALE OF CAPITAL ASSETS TO REFLECT HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED LAND SALES, UH, HIGHER THAN BUDGETED.
UH, THIS IS PARTIALLY OFFSET BY A $1.5 MILLION DECREASE IN LICENSES AND PERMITS DUE TO LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED SPECIAL FOOD PERMITS, MOBILE FOOD VENDOR LICENSES AND FOOD MANAGERS PERMITS AS A RESULT OF STATUTORY CHANGES AT THE STATE LEVEL.
WE'RE ALSO SHOWING A $833,000 DECREASE IN INTEREST DUE TO LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED INTEREST EARNINGS.
AND A $728,000 DECREASE IN INTERGOVERNMENTAL DUE TO LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED REIMBURSEMENT FROM UHT FOR ADMINISTRATIVE FEES.
UH, WE'RE ALSO REFLECTING A $721,000 DECREASE IN DIRECT INTER FUND SERVICES DUE TO LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED PERSONNEL COST.
UH, JUST TO TOUCH ON SALES TAX, UH, THE SALES TAX RECEIPTS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY, WERE ABOUT, UH, 25% LOWER THAN THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.
BUT REMEMBER, UM, THAT PERIOD LAST YEAR IS WHEN WE HAD THE SALES TAX AUDIT FROM THE STATE WHERE THEY WITHHELD THE MONEY AND THEN THEY SENT IT BACK THE FOLLOWING MONTH.
SO WE'RE NOW ON THE REPAYMENT PLAN WITH THEM WHERE WE'RE GONNA REPAY IT, UM, OVER A 43 MONTH PERIOD.
AND, UH, WHEN YOU REMOVE THAT LARGE ADJUSTMENT FROM THE, UH, LAST MONTH'S REPORT, UM, THE, THE YEAR'S RECEIPTS FOR THE SAME PERIOD WOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT 4.8% HIGHER THAN THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.
SO IT'S KIND OF, IT'S TOUGH TO SEE WITH ALL THE NUMBERS, BUT, UM, UH, THE MONTH OF JANUARY DID COME IN OKAY, ONCE YOU ACCOUNT FOR THAT ONE TIME, UM, ANOMALY LAST YEAR.
SO IN ORDER TO MEET THE CURRENT ESTIMATE OF 920 MILLION, THE REMAINING PERIODS WOULD NEED TO COME IN FLAT TO THE PRIOR YEAR.
SO WE FEEL WE'RE STILL PROJECTING, UM, FAIRLY CONSERVATIVE, BUT, BUT WANTING TO COME UP AND THEN WE'LL MAKE FURTHER ADJUSTMENTS IF NECESSARY.
[00:15:01]
MOVING OVER TO THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, THE EXPENDITURE PROJECTION IS 77.6 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE ADOPTED BUDGET, AND IS $68 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE PRIOR MONTH.AND AS DEPUTY CONTROLLER JONES MENTIONED, THE PRIMARY DRIVER OF THE INCREASE IS $50.6 MILLION INCREASE FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, PRIMARILY DUE TO OVERTIME AND FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, $15.6 MILLION, UH, PRIMARILY DUE TO OVERTIME, UH, ABOVE BUDGET AS WELL IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
UM, THERE ARE SOME OTHER INCREASES, $4.5 MILLION INCREASE IN VARIOUS OTHER DEPARTMENTS FOR, UH, HEALTH BENEFITS COVERAGE AND A $1.6 MILLION INCREASE IN GENERAL GOVERNMENT TO FUND THE HOUSTON FORENSIC SCIENCE CENTER INCREASE.
AS WELL AS THE ENTERPRISE RISK ASSESSMENT, UM, PROJECT, WHICH IS GONNA BE DONE THROUGH CONSULTING SERVICES.
WE'RE ALSO REFLECTING A $1.2 MILLION INCREASE IN VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS DUE TO, UH, INTERFUND FLEET CHARGEBACK OVERAGES, UM, WHICH IS PARTIALLY ALL THESE CHANGES ARE PARTIALLY OFFSET BY A $3.4 MILLION DECREASE DUE TO VACANCY SAVINGS IN VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS.
UH, WE ALSO WERE REFLECTING A $1.4 MILLION INCREASE IN ELECTRICITY CHARGEBACK SAVINGS TO THE GENERAL FUND, AND A $1.3 MILLION DECREASE IN VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS TO REFLECT INTER FUND INSURANCE CHARGEBACK SAVINGS THAT WE'RE SEEING.
SO ALL THESE CHANGES WITH THE REVENUES AND THE EXPENDITURES TOGETHER, WE'RE CURRENTLY PROJECTING THE ENDING FUND BALANCE TO BE 323.8 MILLION, WHICH IS 29.7 MILLION LOWER THAN THE PRIOR MONTH, AND REPRESENTS 12.4% OF ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES, NOT INCLUDING DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO.
THIS IS 127.5 MILLION ABOVE THE TARGET OF HOLDING 7.5%.
AND WHEN YOU COMPARE THIS CURRENT PROJECTION COMPARED TO WHERE WE WERE AT THE TIME, WE ADOPTED THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 26, WE ARE STILL SLIGHTLY ABOVE THAT 12.0%.
UM, AS DEPUTY CONTROLLER JONES MENTIONED, THE REVENUES, UM, THE REVENUES ARE A LITTLE BIT LOWER, THE EXPENDITURE IS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER, BUT THE WAY WE ENDED FISCAL YEAR 25 WAS MUCH BETTER THAN WE HAD PROJECTED AT THE TIME OF THE BUDGET.
UM, SO ALL IN ALL WE'RE, WE'RE PRETTY MUCH EVEN WITH HOW WE ENDED THE PREVIOUS YEAR SO FAR, UH, FOR THE ENTERPRISE SPECIAL REVENUE AND OTHER FUNDS, WHICH IS, I WILL JUST TOUCH ON SOME OF THE BIGGER ONES FOR AVIATION OPERATING REVENUE DECREASED BY 26.8 MILLION, PRIMARILY DUE TO LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED TERMINAL SPACE RENTAL FEES, RETAIL AND AUTO RENTAL CONCESSIONS AND OPERATING EXPENDITURES DECREASED BY 5 MILLION DUE TO LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED ELECTRICITY INSURANCE FEES AND BUILDING MAINTENANCE SERVICES.
WHILE NON-OPERATING REVENUES INCREASED BY 12.3 MILLION DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED INTEREST ON POOLED INVESTMENTS.
AND AS A RESULT, THE OPERATING TRANSFERS DECREASED BY 9.3 MILLION FOR THE COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM.
REVENUES DECREASED BY 37 MILLION, UH, DUE TO A DECREASE IN WATER AND SEWER REVENUES, WHICH WAS PARTIALLY OFFSET BY HIGHER IMPACT FEES, JUDGEMENTS AND CLAIMS. AND, UH, UNCOVERED METER REVENUE AND RECOVERIES AND REFUNDS EXPENDITURES ALSO INCREASED BY 1.6 MILLION DUE TO AN ACCOUNTING ADJUSTMENT, WHICH WAS OFFSET BY VACANCY SAVINGS.
IT CONTRACT IMPLEMENTATION DELAYS AND LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED WATER AUTHORITY CONTRACT DEBT PAYMENTS.
UM, SO ALTOGETHER THE OPERATING TRANSFERS ALSO DECREASED BY 83.5 MILLION DUE TO, UH, LOWER TRANSFER TO STORMWATER, UH, CAPITAL EQUIPMENT PURCHASE DELAYS AND THE RECOGNITION OF THE ACCOUNTING ADJUSTMENT THAT I MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY.
UH, FOR THE D-D-S-R-F, UH, METRO REVENUE DECREASED BY 5 MILLION DUE TO A LOWER REIMBURSEMENT FOR METRO MOBILITY PROGRAM RELATED TO STREET AND TRAFFIC OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE COSTS AND EXPENDITURES DECREASED BY 2 MILLION, UH, DUE TO SAVINGS AND SUPPLIES AND SERVICES FOR THE STORMWATER FUND.
EXPENDITURES DECREASED BY 20 MILLION DUE TO DELAYS IN DEMOLITION SERVICES AND OPERATING TRANSFERS IN DECREASED BY 37 MILLION DUE TO, UM, UH, LOWER TRANSFER FROM THE COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM RELATED TO THE STORMWATER'S EXPENDITURE SAVINGS.
UM, AND I KNOW DEPUTY CONTROLLER TOUCHED ON THE OTHERS, WHICH ARE, ARE SMALLER THAN THESE I MENTIONED.
UM, I KNOW IT'S A LOT TO GO OVER THIS MONTH.
THIS IS OUR, UM, THIS IS OUR MOFA REPORT THAT IMMEDIATELY PRECEDES THE GENERAL APPROPRIATION, WHICH WILL BE NEXT MONTH.
SO ALTHOUGH IT'S A LOT OF CHANGES, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE TRUE UP THE ESTIMATES AS WE GET CLOSER TO TRUING UP THE BUDGET, WHICH WILL HAPPEN IN APRIL.
I WANNA WELCOME COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS TO THE WHOLE SHOW.
AND THANK YOU BOTH FOR THE PRESENTATIONS.
UH, DIRECTOR DEBOWSKI, JUST WANTED TO ASK YOU, UH, DIRECTOR JONES MENTIONED THAT THE INCREASES IN OVERTIME FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE WERE EXPECTED.
DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT, THAT THEY WERE EXPECTED? TURN UP MY MICROPHONE? YES.
I THINK THAT THEY HAVE BEEN TRENDING OVER BUDGET FOR MOST OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
[00:20:01]
UM, I THINK THE REASON THAT WE WAIT UNTIL THIS TIME IN THE FISCAL YEAR TO MAKE A PROJECTION TO INCREASE OUR OVERALL ESTIMATE IS TO REALLY SEE HOW MUCH IN SAVINGS ARE THEY GONNA HAVE IN THE OTHER AREAS OF THE DEPARTMENT.ARE THEY GONNA HAVE BASE PAY SAVINGS? ARE THEY GONNA HAVE SAVINGS AND SUPPLIES OR OTHER SERVICES THAT WE CAN USE TO OFFSET THE OVERTIME? UM, SO WE SORT OF COME OUT WITH A NET NUMBER MM-HMM
AND, UH, WE'VE GOT BUDGET SEASON COMING UP.
CAN, CAN WE EXPECT THE, THE SAME SORT OF PROJECTIONS REGARDING OVERTIME, UH, FOR THIS COMING YEAR'S BUDGET? WE ARE DEFINITELY GONNA BE TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT HOW THE OVERTIME HAS, UM, HAS BEEN COMING IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
UM, A LOT OF IT IS RELATED TO, YOU KNOW, OPERATION, OPERATIONAL NEED.
UM, SOME THINGS ARE VERY UNPREDICTABLE, UM, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DISASTERS OR DEPLOYMENTS.
UM, SO SOME OF THOSE THINGS ARE A LITTLE BIT HARDER TO BUDGET, BUT WE'RE REALLY GONNA BE WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENTS ON WHAT IS SORT OF CORE OPERATIONAL OVER TIME, UM, AND HOW THAT WILL LOOK LIKE FOR PURPOSES OF BUDGETING.
LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT THE STORMWATER FUND.
UH, EXPENDITURES DECREASED BY 20 MILLION DUE TO DELAYS IN DEMOLITION SERVICES.
DO YOU, DO YOU KNOW WHY THE DEMOLITION SERVICES WERE DELAYED? SO AT THE TIME OF THE BUDGET, UM, THE COMBINED, UH, THE, SORRY, THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, UH, RECOMMENDED A BUDGET OF $25 MILLION FOR THE ENTIRE FISCAL YEAR 26.
UM, SO RIGHT NOW THEY'RE PROJECTING OUT OF THE 25 MILLION TO USE 5 MILLION AND REFLECT 20 MILLION IN SAVINGS.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE NEEDED FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
UM, I KNOW THAT IT TOOK US A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO GET THOSE CONTRACTS, UM, MOVING AND APPROVED BY THIS BODY.
UM, AND SO THAT WAS PART OF IT.
AND THE OTHER PART OF IT IS THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, AND THEY CAN SPEAK BETTER TO IT THAN I CAN, BUT THEY ARE GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS THAT WAS DISCUSSED AT THE TIME OF COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION OF ENSURING THAT EACH PROPERTY IS, UM, UH, USES THE CORRECT SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR THOSE DEMOLITIONS.
SO THEY WERE COMING UP WITH THE, THE CRITERIA AND THE, UM, THE PLAN FOR WHICH PROPERTIES WERE ELIGIBLE FOR WHICH FUNDING SOURCE.
AND I DO RECALL, UM, THERE WERE SEVERAL AGENDA SETTINGS BEFORE THOSE CONTRACTS WERE APPROVED.
SO JUST, UH, LOOKING AT AVIATION, UH, REVENUES DOWN BY 26.8 MILLION LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED TERMINAL SPACE.
AND, UH, A COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM REVENUES DOWN BY ALMOST 75 MILLION DUE TO DECREASE IN WATER AND SEWER REVENUES.
WAS, IS THERE ANY SORT OF PATTERN, UH, TO THESE DECREASES IN, IN REVENUES BASED ON ECONOMIC FACTORS OR, OR ANY OTHER FACTORS FOR THE AVIATION? I THINK IT'S REALLY HOW THINGS ARE TRENDING YEAR TO DATE.
UM, I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN OBVIOUSLY MORE RECENT DISRUPTIONS, UM, WITH TRAVEL THAT MOST LIKELY, UM, YOU KNOW, WOULDN'T HAVE DRIVEN THESE NUMBERS BECAUSE THAT'S BEEN MORE RECENT AND THIS IS THROUGH FEBRUARY.
UM, BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR ON THAT.
UM, WITH AVIATION, YOU KNOW, USUALLY THE WAY THEY, UM, THE WAY THEY'RE BUDGETING THE, THE REVENUES AND THE EXPENDITURES OFFSET.
UM, SO YOU DO SEE THAT IT'S, ALTHOUGH THE REVENUES DECREASE, THE EXPENDITURES DECREASE AS WELL, UM, FOR THE AVIATION.
JUST TO ADD ON AVIATION, I AGREE WITH WHAT DIRECTOR VALKI SAID, AND THEY WERE ALSO, I THINK THERE AT ONE POINT THERE WAS A PLAN TO OPEN THE, THE ICP FACILITY, THE, THE INTERNATIONAL FACILITY AND, AND, UH, TERMINAL E AND YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY DEVELOP THEIR BUDGET, THEY SOMETIMES MAKE ASSUMPTIONS AS WHAT, HOW MUCH ADDITIONAL REVENUE THAT WAS GONNA COME IN.
AND SO THEY HAVE TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS THERE MM-HMM
UM, AND SO THAT MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT AS WELL.
THE SECOND PART OF THIS QUESTION WAS ABOUT THE CUS, THE, THE DECREASED $75 MILLION IN, IN WATER SEWER.
AND I WAS GONNA ASK THAT SAME QUESTION.
IS THAT SOMETHING WE SEE AT THIS TIME? IS IT A TIME THAT HAS YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK WE, WE SEE THAT USUALLY WHEN THERE'S NOT AS, UH, YOU KNOW, MUCH RAIN OR THE WEATHER SOMETIMES PLAY A BIG PART IN THE PROJECTIONS ON, UH, FOR, FOR CUS.
UM, SO I MEAN, WE, WE SEE IT EVERY YEAR.
AND, AND SOMETHING ELSE? UM, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT AS THEY GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS ON THE STORMWATER FUND OF DETERMINING WHICH, WHICH BUILDINGS MEET THE CRITERIA, IT'S, IT'S FEWER THAN THEY THEN, I GUESS THEY ANTICIPATED.
SO THAT NUMBER IS LESS COUNCIL MEMBER OR VICE CHAIR CASTILLO.
ONE QUESTION I HAD ON THE DECREASED COLLECTION ON THE TS ADMINISTRATIVE FEE, THE 0.7 MILLION THAT IS A, IS THAT A FIXED FEE THAT WE COLLECT PERTS, IT'S A PERCENTAGE OF
[00:25:01]
THE TAX INCREMENT THAT GETS TRANSFERRED TO THE TUR.SO IT'S 5% OF THE INCREMENT COMES BACK AS ADMINISTRATIVE FEE.
SO IF THEY'RE, IF WE'RE PROJECTING THEIR INCREMENTAL TRANSFER TO INCREASE OR DECREASE THAT 5% AMOUNT, THE DOLLAR AMOUNT WILL INCREASE OR DECREASE WITH THAT PROPORTIONALLY.
SO ESSENTIALLY WE OVER PROJECTED SOME INCREMENT GROWTH AND THAT'S WHY THE FEES COLLECTED WERE DECREASED.
I THINK WHAT WE'RE SEEING ON THE TURS SPECIFICALLY HAS TO DO WITH, UM, HEARING LOSS, I BELIEVE WHERE SOME, UM, YOU KNOW, AS PROPERTY OWNERS GO THROUGH THEIR HEARING AND DISPUTE PROCESS, THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO DISPUTE THEIR VALUES DOWN A LITTLE BIT, WHICH IMPACTS THE REVENUE THAT THE CITY COLLECTS, AND THEN REMITS AS INCREMENT TO THE TURS.
SO BECAUSE OF THOSE HEARING LOSS AND DECREASE OF VALUES, UM, I SHOULDN'T SAY DECREASE THE VALUES, DECREASE OF VALUES COMPARED TO WHAT WAS PROJECTED.
UM, IT'S STILL A YEAR OVER YEAR INCREASE IN MOST CASES, BUT IT COULD BE LOWER THAN WHAT WE WERE PROJECTING.
I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIE DAVIS THIS MORNING AS WELL.
COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATIONS.
UM, CAN YOU GO BACK OVER AGAIN, THE WATER AND SEWER, THE DECREASE IN THAT? I MEAN, DID WE SELL OR DID THE RESIDENTS USE LESS WATER OR, I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S WHEN, WHEN THEY SAY THERE'S A DECREASE IN WATER SEWER REVENUES, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
UH, YOU DID SAY THERE WERE SEVERAL OFFSETS TO IT.
I I MEAN, IT STRIKES ME AS ODD THAT THERE WOULD'VE BEEN A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE THIS TIME OF THE YEAR FOR WATER.
I MEAN, I CAN SEE IN THE SUMMER WHEN WE, IF WE HAVE A LOT OF RAIN, THAT IT WOULD BE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN ANTICIPATED.
IT JUST SEEMS KIND OF ODD FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR.
AND WE CAN LOOK FOR MORE DETAILS ON A, TO GIVE YOU MORE OF A MONTHLY VIEW.
UM, THIS IS USUALLY THE TIME OF YEAR THAT WE TRUE IT UP, SO IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THERE WAS LESS WATER.
SO THIS COULD HAVE BEEN PREVIOUS MONTHS, MONTH, WERE JUST REFLECTED EVERYTHING YEAR TO DATE.
UM, AMBULANCE FEES, DID THE RESIDENTS USE THE AMBULANCES MORE, OR WAS, HAS THERE, HAS THERE BEEN A CHANGE IN THE PRICING ON THE AMBULANCES? NO, IT IS RELATED TO, UM, I FORGET THE EXACT SENATE BILL DIRECTOR BAKI PROBABLY CAN TELL YOU, BUT THERE WAS THE SENATE BILL THAT WAS EXTENDED IN SEPTEMBER.
UH, SO THEY'RE ABLE, THE PRICING, THE COST IS A LITTLE HIGHER.
UM, AND DIRECTOR, IF YOU COULD SPEAK A LITTLE MORE ABOUT, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE 43 MONTH PAYBACK OH YES.
UM, SO IT WAS ABOUT A YEAR AGO, A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO THAT WE BECAME AWARE OF A SALES TAX AUDIT THAT THE STATE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE DID.
UM, AND THEY FOUND THAT THERE WAS ABOUT 25, 20 $6 MILLION THAT WAS ERRONEOUSLY REMITTED TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON OVER A 43 MONTH PERIOD.
UM, GOING BACK TO 2018, I THINK.
SO, SO ESSENTIALLY THIS IS AN ERROR THE CONTROLLER MADE, THEY CORRECTED THE ERROR AND 'CAUSE I MEAN, THEY DISTRIBUTE THE MONEY.
CORRECT? THEY DID DISTRIBUTE THE MONEY.
RIGHT? IT WAS NOT AN ERROR ON OUR PART.
THE STATE, WE WERE GETTING EVERYBODY ELSE'S REVENUES.
WE WERE GETTING OTHER CITY'S REVENUES.
AND THEY, THEY WITHHELD THE AMOUNT FROM US IN ONE OF OUR MONTHLY REPORTS, WHICH WAS A HUGE HIT FOR ONE MONTH FOR SOMETHING THAT HAD BEEN SENT TO US OVER A 43 MONTH PERIOD.
SO WE WORKED WITH THEM TO GET A REPAYMENT PLAN THAT'S A 0% INTEREST.
ESSENTIALLY THEY TOOK THE MONEY BACK OR THEY'RE TAKING THE MONEY BACK OVER THE SAME PERIOD THAT THEY GAVE IT TO US OVER.
AND LAST THING I'VE GOT, UM, THE FIREFIGHTER UNION TOOK US TO ARBITRATION HERE A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.
UM, I'M HEARING RUMORS THAT WE LOST THAT ARBITRATION, IS THAT CORRECT? IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'RE GONNA BE SETTING UP SOME INDIVIDUAL BRIEFINGS TO GET YOU ALL, ALL THE DETAILS ON THAT, BUT OKAY.
UM, ARE YOU ABLE TO SPEAK ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY WON ON THE STEP INCREASE? UM, SO THEY GRIEVED SEVERAL ITEMS. THAT WAS ONE OF THEM.
AND THAT WAS ONE OF THEM THAT THE ARBITRATOR DID ROLL ON.
'CAUSE I MEAN, I FIND THAT REAL CONCERNING WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE CONTRACT, I SPECIFICALLY ASKED WHAT TRIGGERS THE STEP INCREASES, AND THERE'S BEEN NOTHING THAT HAS OCCURRED IN THAT DISCUSSION THAT WOULD'VE TRIGGERED IT.
SO THIS MORE TO COME, MORE TO COME ON THAT.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER, I MEAN CAYMAN, I'M SORRY SHE WAS FIRST.
I, I WILL NOT OPINE ON, UH, ARBITRATION CLAUSES AND HOW THEY CAN AND CANNOT BE DRAFTED.
UM, DIRECTOR DEBOWSKI, UH, YOU HAD MENTIONED WITH THE
[00:30:01]
OVERTIME, AND I DON'T WANT TO BEAT A DEAD HORSE WITH OVERTIME.WE, WE ARE GOING TO GO INTO BUDGET SEASON AND HAVE PLENTY OF CONVERSATIONS ON THAT.
BUT YOU MENTIONED THAT OVERTIME WAS UNPREDICTABLE.
UM, AND I REMEMBER MANY, MANY CONVERSATIONS DURING THE BUDGET DURING CONTRACT NEGOTIATE, NOT CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS WHEN WE WERE CONSIDERING CONTRACTS ABOUT THE CONCERN WITH OVERTIME.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO RAISE, I RAISED THE CONCERN ABOUT NATURAL DISASTERS MM-HMM
AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE MM-HMM
AND THAT IN SOME WAYS IT'S UNPREDICTABLE, BUT IN SOME WAYS IT IS PREDICTABLE.
WE DO NEED TO BE PREPARING FOR, UH, MULTIPLE EVENTS A YEAR.
AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB OF THAT RIGHT NOW.
UM, I, MY ASK IS, AS WE ENTER BUDGET SEASON THAT WE REALLY START TO CONSIDER, BECAUSE MOST DEPARTMENTS DO NOT INCLUDE IN THEIR BUDGET COST OF DISASTER RESPONSE, THAT'S NOT INCLUDED AS A BUDGET, UH, CONSIDERATION.
HOW ARE WE LOOKING AT THIS? UH, BECAUSE I DO THINK IT WAS SOMEWHAT PREDICTABLE, AND NOW HERE WE ARE ALMOST A YEAR LATER LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS THAT WE WERE CONCERNED WE WOULD SEE.
UH, SO AGAIN, I DO THINK WE NEED TO BE LOOKING MUCH MORE CLOSELY AND CONSIDERING THE PATTERNS THAT WE ARE SEEING WITH INCREASED NATURAL DISASTERS, EXTREME WEATHER, AGAIN, NON-REIMBURSABLE EVENTS AT TIMES THAT WE HAVE TO BE CONSIDERING IN THE BUDGET PROCESS.
TO THAT END, UH, DO WE HAVE, I KNOW WE'VE COME TO AN AGREEMENT, WHICH I APPRECIATE IN TERMS OF THE, WITH WITHIN THE FINANCIAL POLICIES, WITH OUR, UH, WHAT I, THE RAINY DAY FUND, WE, WE'VE COME TO AN AGREEMENT.
DO WE HAVE A TIMELINE YET ON WHEN WE'RE GOING TO BE TAKING UP, UM, THE UPDATED FINANCIAL POLICIES FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON? SO WE DID, UM, MAKE SURE THAT WE REVIEWED ALL THE OTHER COMPONENTS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT ABSOLUTELY.
ASIDE FROM THAT ONE SECTION WE TALKED ABOUT.
SO, UM, YES, IT'S GONNA BE COMING SHORTLY FOR SURE BEFORE THE BUDGET IS UM, PASSED.
SO WE'LL HAVE BEFORE US AS A BODY, UM, UPDATED FINANCIAL POLICIES TO REVIEW PRIOR TO US PASSING THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR'S BUDGET.
THE, THE, THE FINANCIAL POLICIES ARE PART OF THE BUDGET.
BUT AGAIN, WE, I THINK WE WERE SUPPOSED TO TAKE THEM UP TOWARDS THE END OF LAST YEAR.
WE KEEP BUMPING IT, SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TAKING THOSE UP.
UM, AND AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR TEAM WORKING WITH US, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO THE BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND, BUT THERE'S A LOT, AS YOU SAID WITHIN THAT, THAT WE HAVE TO BE LOOKING AT.
UM, YOU KNOW, ON THE OVERTIME, UH, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ HAD ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT, UH, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE FOR NEXT MONTH? BUT I JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYONE AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY AND WE'RE LOOKING AT A VISITOR'S ECONOMY, I THINK THE TERM THAT WAS USED LAST WEEK, YOU KNOW, UM, FEBRUARY WE HAD, STARTING ON THE 27TH, WE HAD 80,000 PARTICIPANTS IN A CHEERLEADING CONTEST OVER AT THE GRB.
AND YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS MONTH ON THE TAIL END OF THAT, BECAUSE THAT WAS ONLY ONE DAY OUT OF THE MONTH.
AND WE HAD THE REST OF, YOU KNOW, THAT FULL WEEKEND.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THE EVENTS GOING ON IN THE CITY THIS WEEKEND, SOMEBODY SAID TO ME, MY GOSH, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON? I SAID, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? AND THEY SAID, THE INCREASED, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT PRESENCE IS CLEAR.
AND I SAID, WELL, WE'VE GOT THE HOUSTON OPEN, WE'VE GOT AN ASTROS GAMES, WE'VE GOT THE SWEET 16, WE'VE GOT A CROSSFIT OVER HERE.
WE'VE GOT THE BAYOU CITY ARTS.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MANY THINGS OUTSIDE OF A DISASTER THAT AS WE ARE DRAWING MORE TOURISM INTO THE CITY, THAT WILL NATURALLY INCREASE OVER TIME.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO CERTAINLY BE PREPARED, BUT WHAT PRICE DO WE PUT, NOT TO MENTION PROTEST ORGANIZED PROTESTS THAT WE CAN'T PLAN FOR, BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S SAFE, AND WHAT PRICE DO WE PUT ON PUBLIC SAFETY? AND, YOU KNOW, SO AS MUCH AS WE CAN BE PREPARED, CERTAINLY THERE ARE SOME FACTORS THAT PLAY INTO THAT INCREASE.
I JUST THAT MORE OF A STATEMENT THAN A QUESTION.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, PRESENTATIONS.
YEAH, AND LET ME TACK ONTO THAT.
'CAUSE I THINK ALL THOSE EVENTS WERE PLANNED WELL IN ADVANCE.
AND I AM ALL FOR PAYING POLICE AND FIRE, UH, OVERTIME WHEN IT'S NECESSARY, AND IT OFTEN IS NECESSARY.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, THE, THE REAL QUESTION IS, ARE WE PUTTING FORTH PROJECTIONS THAT ARE, THAT ARE REALLY ACCURATE WHEN WE, UH, GO INTO BUDGET SEASON AND WE DISCUSS A BUDGET? UH, SO THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO IN MY MIND.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, ONE LAST QUESTION.
[00:35:01]
CRYSTAL BALL, UH, AS IT RELATES TO FUTURE PROJECTIONS.UH, AND WE'VE SEEN, AGAIN, GREATER THAN EXPECTED, UH, REVENUE GENERATION PRIMARILY FROM SALES TAX, UH, TOWARD, AND AGAIN, WE'VE HAD, WE SPRING AND HOUSTON IS THE BEST TIME, RIGHT.
WE HAVE SO MANY AMAZING EVENTS.
I WOULD ASSUME THAT FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH, WE'RE ALSO GONNA SEE AN INCREASE WITH RODEO WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING.
UH, WE HAD SIERRA WEEK HERE, WE'VE HAD, UH, THE HOUSTON OPEN.
THE LIST GOES ON BEYOND MARCH, THOUGH, I'M ASSUMING THAT KIND OF, UH, PETER'S OFF A LITTLE BIT.
IF YOU COULD LET ME KNOW IF I'M RIGHT ON THAT.
OVER SUMMER MONTHS, DO WE KIND OF SEE IT LEVEL OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE? AND TWO, THE REASON I'M ASKING ABOUT PROJECTIONS IN THE FUTURE IS, UM, BECAUSE I HAVE SUCH A CONCERN FOR THE MARKETS RIGHT NOW, UH, AS WE HEAD INTO, YOU KNOW, HOWEVER MANY WEEKS OF A WAR IN IRAN AND OIL PRICES, WHICH GENERALLY HOUSTON, UH, DOES BETTER THAN OTHER CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY, BUT THAT STILL HAS AN ECONOMIC IMPACT, UM, ON THE EVERYDAY HOUSTONIAN AND THE MARKETS ARE NOT STABLE.
CAN YOU ALL DISCUSS, AND AGAIN, I HAVE THE FEAR OF, YOU KNOW, A GREATER LONG-TERM ECONOMIC IMPACT TO OUR MARKETS RIGHT NOW AND A DOWNTURN.
CAN YOU ALL DISCUSS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THAT CAN IMPACT OUR BUDGET AND WHAT YOU ALL ARE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW? YEAH, WHAT I WILL SAY IS WE ARE ALWAYS MORE CONSERVATIVE ON, ON THE SALES TAX.
UH, YOU KNOW, FOR THAT REASON.
THERE ARE, THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, IT, THE ECONOMY IS VERY UNCERTAIN AND VERY VOLATILE.
SO WE DON'T WANT TO TAKE JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE INCREASED NOW THAT WE'LL HAVE IT IN THE FUTURE.
SO WHEN WE DO OUR MODELS, WE DO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, EMPLOYMENT, UM, WE LOOK AT THE PRICE OF OIL, UH, AND THEN WE ALSO TRY AND FACTOR IN, LET'S DISCOUNT IT.
YOU KNOW, WE KNEW, WE, WE KNOW SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHEN, WHEN WE HAD THE OIL BUS OR THE ECONOMY, YOU KNOW, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF JOBS DID WE LOSE? AND WE TRY TO FACTOR ALL OF THAT INTO OUR PROJECTIONS.
UM, BUT IN FINANCE IS CONSERVATIVE, BUT WE'RE EVEN MORE CONSERVATIVE ON OUR SALES TAX PROJECTION.
AND YES, YOU WILL SEE OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, HIGHER GAINS DURING, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CHRISTMAS TIME AND YOU KNOW, THE SPRING TIME.
UH, BUT THE, THE ECONOMY RIGHT NOW IS JUST TOO UNCERTAIN, UM, INFLATION AND TARIFFS AND TRYING TO PREDICT PEOPLE'S BEHAVIOR AND WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO.
UH, SO REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS, EVEN WITH THE, THE WORLD CUP COMING, UH, WE SHOULD STILL REMAIN CONSERVATIVE BECAUSE OF THAT UNCERTAINTY.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT A MONTHLY, UM, SALES TAX COLLECTIONS MARCH, MARCH IS OUR SECOND HIGHEST MONTH, UH, WITH DECEMBER BEING THE HIGHEST.
UM, SO WE DO TRADITIONALLY SEE A DECREASE, UM, FROM MARCH TO APRIL AS WE GO TO THE END OF THE YEAR.
HOWEVER, THAT'S CONTEMPLATED AT THE TIME WE BUDGET.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT'S BASED ON OUR HISTORICAL PROJECTIONS AND EVEN WITH THE ESTIMATE THAT WE'RE, UM, SHOWING IN THIS MONTH'S MOFA, IT WOULD, UH, CONTEMPLATE THAT THE REMAINING MONTHS COME IN FLAT TO THE PRIOR YEAR.
SO 0% INCREASE, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WE HOPE, OF COURSE IT'S MORE THAN THAT, BUT WE FEEL THAT THIS IS, UM, A COMFORTABLE PLACE TO LAND FOR THIS MONTHLY PERIOD.
AS WE MOVE TO BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 27, WE, UM, WE HAVE OUR INTERNAL, UM, MODELING THAT WE DO, WHICH GIVES A PESSIMISTIC LIKELY AND OPTIMISTIC PROJECTIONS FOR SALES TAX.
WE USUALLY PICK BETWEEN THE PESSIMISTIC AND THE LIKELY, SO SORT OF ON THE MORE CONSERVATIVE END, UM, ON OUR SIDE.
SO DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE'RE TRACKING.
YEAH, AND JUST ONE MORE THING TO ADD.
THE, THE THING THAT'S DIFFERENT THIS YEAR, TYPICALLY, YOU KNOW, WE BUDGET CONSERVATIVE WITH SALES TAX AND THEN WE COME UP AT THE END OF THE YEAR AND THAT, YOU KNOW, REALLY HELPS US WITH OUR FUND BALANCE.
BUT THIS YEAR, WITH THE LOSS OF THAT 52 MILLION IN THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE, AND THEN ON TOP OF THE, THE INCREASE IN OVERTIME, AS DIRECTOR DEBOWSKI SAID, IN THE PAST WE'VE HAD VACANCY SAVINGS WHERE WE COULD COVER THAT 50 WHATEVER PLUS MILLION IN OVERTIME WHEN WE DON'T HAVE THAT THIS YEAR.
SO WHILE WE INCREASE THE SALES TAX, WE DECREASED ON OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR PROPERTY TAX AND THEN OUR EXPENDITURES ARE GROWING AT SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER RATE.
SO ALL OF THAT IS, YOU KNOW, A CAUSE FOR CONCERN PLUS THE ECONOMY, PLUS THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE ECONOMY.
I WANNA MAKE SURE AND WELCOME, UM, STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ'S OFFICE ON THE, THE WORLD CUP GRANT AGREEMENT.
I SEE ON THIS WEEK'S AGENDA, THERE'S $15 MILLION PAYMENT FOR SOME EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS SUPPLIES THAT WILL BE PAID FOR WITH THAT GRANT.
BUT THE STATUS OF THE, OUR AGREEMENT WITH THE DHS SHUT DOWN, I MEAN, JED MENTIONED THIS IN AGENDA BRIEFING, IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION.
SO DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON KIND OF WHERE THAT IS? WELL, THE LAST, UM, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, WE, WE DO HAVE THE GRANT AWARD
[00:40:01]
LETTER FROM, UM, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR, THAT'S FOR THE $65 MILLION RIGHT.UM, AND THEN WE'RE ALSO GETTING, UM, A SMALLER GRANT THAT WAS, UM, MAYBE AT THE BEGINNING OF MARCH THAT THOSE TWO ITEMS CAME TO COUNCIL TO, UM, APPLY FOR AND ACCEPT THE GRANTS.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE WAY WE, THE WAY WE SPEND FROM A GRANT PERSPECTIVE IS THAT WE DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE TO SPEND THE MONEY OR PROCURE THE ITEMS UNTIL WE HAVE THE GRANT AWARD.
UM, WHICH IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE DO HAVE THAT AT THIS POINT.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, USUALLY IT'S USUALLY GRANTS ARE REIMBURSEMENT BASE, SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND ORDER THINGS AND GET THEM IN AND THEN REALIZE THE CASH, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH A FEDERALLY COMPLIANT PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
AND SO THE PARTIAL SHUTDOWN IS NOT IMPACTING ANYTHING WITH THE, WITH THE GRANT TWICE.
I'M SORRY, JED'S NOW SAID THAT TWICE, I THINK.
YEAH, THERE WAS, I, I'LL JUST CHECK WITH, WITH JED 'CAUSE HE MAY MENTIONED SOMETHING IN AGENDA BRIEF ABOUT, ABOUT, UM, THERE BEING, YOU KNOW, SOME DELAYS WITH THIS BECAUSE OF THE PARTIAL SHUTDOWN.
IT COULD BE MAYBE THAT THERE'S GONNA BE DELAYS IN REIMBURSEMENTS, PERHAPS.
WELL, WELL, WE'LL TRACK IT DOWN.
WE DO HAVE, UH, I THINK THAT'S THE END OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS.
WE DO HAVE ONE PUBLIC SPEAKER ON THE, UH, MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT.
WE WILL MOVE ON THEN TO, UH, AGENDA ITEM THREE, THE AUDIT DIVISION UPDATE.
AND I'D LIKE TO WELCOME JENNIFER PIERCE, DEPUTY DIRECTOR IN THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE.
GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BUDGET AND FISCAL AUDIT FAIRS COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE AUDIT DIVISION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026.
TODAY I WILL BRIEFLY COVER OUR AUDIT PIPELINE, RECENT AUDIT REPORTS, REMEDIATION ACTIVITY ACROSS THE CITY, AND THE STEPS WE ARE TAKING TO TAKING TO STRENGTHEN THE PERFORMANCE AND DISCIPLINE OF THE AUDIT DIVISION.
I WILL BEGIN WITH COMPLETED WORK.
SINCE THE LAST TIME I SPOKE WITH YOU, WE HAVE COMPLETED EIGHT AUDITS THAT REFLECT, THAT WORK REFLECTS BOTH DIRECT AUDIT EXECUTION AND OUR CONTINUED EFFORTS TO CLOSE THE LOOP ON PRIOR ISSUES THROUGH FOLLOW UP AND VALIDATION.
WE ALSO HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL BODY OF WORK CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS.
THIS PORTFOLIO REFLECTS A BALANCED MIX OF OPERATIONAL COMPLIANCE, PAYROLL TECHNOLOGY, AND GOVERNANCE FOCUSED WORK.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THERE ARE TWO OVERTIME AUDITS ON THIS LIST, JUST FYI.
UPCOMING WORK INCLUDES THE BELOVED HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT, UNIFORMED OVERTIME AUDIT, SAP SEGREGATION OF DUTIES, UM, THE FISCAL YEAR, ANNUAL FISCAL YEAR, 27 ANNUAL AUDIT PROGRAM, AND ADDITIONAL FOLLOWUP WORK INVOLVING GENERAL SERVICES, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, AND PARKS AND RECREATION.
I ALSO WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THANK YOU ALL FOR APPROVING AND THANK THE ADMINISTRATION FOR FUNDING THE CONTRACT RELATED TO THE FISCAL YEAR 26 ENTERPRISE RISK ASSESSMENT.
THIS PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO GIVE CITY LEADERSHIP AN ENTERPRISE WIDE PRI PRIORITIZED VIEW OF RISK ACROSS FINANCIAL, OPERATIONAL COMPLIANCE, CYBERSECURITY, STRATEGIC, AND PUBLIC, PUBLIC FACING AREAS.
FOR THIS EFFORT TO BE MEANINGFUL, IT WILL REQUIRE SUPPORT ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THAT MEANS ENGAGEMENT FROM ALL DEPARTMENTS, SUPPORT FROM THE ADMINISTRATION AND PARTNERSHIP WITH CITY COUNCIL.
A HIGH QUALITY RISK ASSESSMENT DEPENDS ON BROAD PARTICIPATION, CANDID, CANDID INPUT, AND A SHARED COMMITMENT TO IDENTIFYING AND ADDRESSING THE RISKS THAT MATTERS MOST TO THE CITY'S CITIZENS OF HOUSTON.
I WILL NOW TURN TO RECENT AUDIT REPORTS, AND I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE AUDITORS THAT WORKED ON THEM AT THIS TIME.
IF I COULD GET MOHAMMED HARUN PETRIA, AMOS MARLEA, UM, R AND THERESA WATSON TO PLEASE STAND.
THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE THREE AUDIT REPORTS THAT WE HAVE ISSUED THIS MONTH FOR THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT FOLLOW UP AUDIT.
OUR FIRST OBJECTIVE WAS OBTAIN TO OBTAIN STATUS UPDATES ON ALL OPEN FINDINGS, AND MANAGEMENT DID PROVIDE UPDATES TO ALL 32.
OUR SECOND OB OBJECTIVE WAS TO ASSESS THEIR REMEDIATION, THEIR MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN, AND WHETHER THEY HAD IMPLEMENTED, IMPLEMENTED IT PROPERLY BASED ON OUR WORK PERFORMED.
HFD MANAGEMENT'S REMEDIATION EFFORTS WERE
[00:45:01]
ADEQUATE OVERALL FOR 29 OF THE 32 FINDINGS.THAT IS A STRONG RESULT AND REFLECT SUBSTANTIAL CORRECTIVE ACTION BY THE DEPARTMENT, WHILE ALSO IDENTIFYING THE FEW AREAS WHERE ADDITIONAL WORK IS STILL NEEDED.
THE AUDIT DIVISION ALSO CONDUCTED A POINT IN TIME ASSESSMENT OF ALL OPEN AUDIT FINDINGS IN OUR TRACKING DATABASE.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS EFFORT WAS TO SUPPORT GOVERNANCE OVERSIGHT BY DETERMINING THE REMEDIATION STATUS OF FINDINGS ACROSS CITY BUSINESS AREAS AND IDENTIFYING WHICH ITEMS ARE READY FOR FOLLOW UP AUDIT VALIDATION.
THE ASSESSMENT COVERED 165 OPEN FINDINGS.
MORE THAN HALF OF THOSE FINDINGS WERE ISSUED PRIOR TO 2020, WHICH UNDERSCORES THE NEED FOR CONTINUED STRUCTURED FOLLOW UP.
OF THE 165 FINDINGS 112 WERE CONSIDERED READY FOR FOLLOW UP AUDIT VALIDATION SIGN SIGNALING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WORK NOW POSITIONED FOR THE NEXT PHASE OF OVERSIGHT, TURNING TO THE GENERAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT AUDIT, THIS ENGAGEMENT FOCUS ON GSDS CONTRACT MANAGEMENT PROCESS AND PROJECT ASSIGNMENT PRACTICES.
OUR OBJECTIVE WAS TO EXAMINE HOW PROJECTS ARE ASSIGNED TO CONTRACTORS AND HOW RELATED CONTRACT MANAGEMENT PROCESSES OPERATE.
THE SCOPE COVERED CONTRACTOR PAYMENTS FROM FISCAL YEARS 2021 THROUGH 2023.
NO DETAILED FINDINGS WERE IDENTIFIED DURING THE AUDIT.
ALTHOUGH THE AUDIT DID NOT RESULT IN FORMAL FINDINGS, IT DID IDENTIFY IMPORTANT, IMPORTANT OBSERVATIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO STRENGTHEN CONTROLS.
FIRST, WE IDENTIFIED A GAP RELATED TO THE CON CONFLICT OF INTEREST CERTIFICATIONS.
CURRENT CITY POLICY IS LIMITED IN SCOPE.
DISCLOSURES ARE REQUIRED ONLY FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS, WHICH WE LOVE THAT FOR YOU ALL.
AND THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT FOR CITY EMPLOYEES INVOLVED IN CONTRACTING DECISIONS.
TO PROVIDE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST CERTIFICATION, WE RECOMMEND ANNUAL CERTIFICATIONS FOR ALL EMPLOYEES INVOLVED IN CONTRACTING DECISIONS.
THE SECOND PRIMARY OBSERVATION, WE IDENTIFIED RISK RELATED TO THE APPLICATION OF THE CITY COST INDEX OR CCI IN CONTRACTS.
BECAUSE THE CCI IS USED TO ALIGN CONSTRUCTION PRICING WITH REGIONAL MARKET CONDITIONS, MISAPPLICATION CAN WEAKEN PRICING, ACCURACY AND CONSISTENCY AND INCREASE THE RISK OF FINANCIAL LOSS TO THE CITY.
WE RECOMMEND CONTROLS TO VALIDATE CONTRACTOR PROVIDED.
CCI ENSURE ALIGNMENT TO AGREED UPON CATALOG RATES AND ESTABLISH A CONSISTENT REVIEW PROCESS.
ONGOING CONSISTENT REVIEW PROCESS FOR PRICE PROPOSALS.
I WILL NOW TURN TO AUDIT DIVISION IMPROVEMENTS.
ONE OF THE DIVISION'S MOST IMPROVE MOST IMPORTANT IMPROVEMENT INITIATIVES IS THE IMPLE IMPLEMENTATION OF AUDIT BOARD, UM, NOW CALLED TRO.
UM, THAT ONE OF THE QUESTIONS YOU GUYS HAVE FREQUENTLY ASKED ME ABOUT IS THE AUDIT SOFTWARE THAT WE USE TO GOVERN OUR, OUR DIVISION.
THIS, THIS, IT IS A PUR TRO IS A PURPOSE BUILT AUDIT, RISK AND COMPLIANCE PLATFORM THAT CENTRALIZES WORKFLOWS, WORK PAPERS, ISSUE TRACKING METHODOLOGY AND REPORTING THAT MATTERS BECAUSE AUDIT QUALITY DEPENDS ON DISCIPLINED SYSTEMS, NOT DISCONNECTED SPREADSHEETS, EMAIL CHAINS, AND SHARED FOLDERS ON SHAREPOINT.
BUT BRINGING THE AUDIT LIFECYCLE INTO ONE PLATFORM, OPT TRO STRENGTHENS CONSISTENCY, VISIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, TIMELINESS, DOCUMENTATION, RETENTION AND INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE WITHIN MY DIVISION.
JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, IT STRENGTHENS OUR SUPERVISION, SUPPORTS A MORE DEFENSIBLE AUDIT TRAIL AND HELPS US EXECUTE AUDITS WITH GREATER DISCIPLINE ACROSS THE FUNCTION.
ANOTHER IMPORTANT IMPROVEMENT, OUR AREA IN OUR DIVISION IS OUR USE OF WEEKLY STATUS UPDATES.
THESE UPDATES KEEP LEADERSHIP INFORMED, REDUCE SURPRISES, AND CREATE A CLEAR LINE OF SIGHT INTO AUDIT PROGRESS.
THEY HELP ACCELERATE EVIDENCE COLLECTION AND DECISION MAKING SURFACE BLOCKERS VERY EARLY SO THEY CAN BE RESOLVED PROMPTLY.
STRENGTHEN TRUST THROUGH TRANSPARENT COMMUNICATION AND REINFORCE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR COMMITMENTS, DEADLINES, AND, AND, AND DELAYS.
THE STATUS UPDATE DIRECTLY ALIGNS WITH OUR GOAL TO, TO SHORTEN THE AUDIT PERIOD FROM OVER A YEAR TO CLOSER TO WHAT'S REASONABLE OF SIX TO NINE MONTHS IN PRACTICE.
THEY CREATE A MORE DISCIPLINED OPERATING CADENCE AND IMPROVE THE DIVISION'S ABILITY TO MANAGE MULTIPLE ACTIVE AUDITS WITH GREATER CONTROL, COORDINATION, AND FOLLOW THROUGH.
IN CLOSING, THE AUDIT DIVISION REMAINS FOCUSED ON DELIVERING INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT THAT DRIVES ACCOUNTABILITY, STRENGTHENS OPERATIONS AND SUPPORTS BETTER DECISION MAKING ACROSS THE CITY.
WE ARE ADVANCING CRITICAL AUDIT WORK, MAINTAINING VISIBILITY OVER REMEDIATION, AND BUILDING A STRONGER, MORE DISCIPLINED AUDIT FUNCTION WITHIN OUR DIVISION FOR THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION AND I WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS.
[00:50:01]
YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, VICE MAYOR PRO TEMP.AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR ALL OF THE GREAT IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, FOR THE GSD UM, AUDIT, FOR THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST CERTIFICATIONS.
UM, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE JUST SEEN IN GSD? I DON'T RECALL SEEING THAT IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
AND IF SO, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE ACTIVELY WORKING TO CHANGE? SO I CAN'T SPEAK FOR ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF GSD.
UM, WHEN WE PER, WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE AS AUDITORS WOULD EXPECT FROM THE GSD OFFICIALS THAT ARE NEGOTIATING CONTRACTS.
THAT'S WHEN WE NOTICED THAT THE A THAT THE ACTUAL GUIDANCE DOESN'T ALLOW FOR THEM TO DO THAT.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE PLANNING TO IMPLEMENT SOMETHING, BUT THAT WOULD BE LIMITED TO JUST THOSE UNDER THE DIRECTION OF DIRECTOR MESSIAH.
WE WOULD ALSO HAVE A SECONDARY CONVERSATION WE'D NEED TO HAVE WITH OTHERS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN, UM, UH, OUR EDDI IS ORGANIZATION PROCUREMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I DO JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'VE DONE.
UM, THIS IS CRITICAL WORK AND IT'S VERY HELPFUL AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE REPORT WHEN IT COMES OUT ON THE SAP DEION OF DUTIES.
YES, THANK YOU TO ALL THE AUDITORS.
UH, WE REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO IN HELPING OUR CITY RUN MORE EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY AND PLAYING BY ALL THE RULES.
SO THANK YOU MS. PIERCE FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS ON THIS MATTER? OKAY, SEEING NONE, WE WILL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM FOUR.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN IS VERY EXCITED TO SEE AN UPDATE ON MULTIFAMILY RECYCLING PILOT PROGRAM, AND I WILL ACTUALLY PASS THE MIC COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN FOR YOU TO BRIEFLY SET THIS UP IF YOU'D LIKE.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY AS OUR SOLID WASTE TEAM COMES UP.
UM, COLLEAGUES, WE SEE A LOT OF HEADLINES, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW ABOUT DELAYS WITH TRASH AND HOW OUR SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT, UM, I KNOW THEY ARE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN.
UM, BUT ONE OF THE, I THINK, BRIGHT LIGHTS IN TERMS OF WHAT THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT IS DOING RIGHT NOW, UM, IS A FIRST OF ITS KIND MULTI-FAMILY RECYCLING PILOT PROGRAM, UH, THAT WE, WE RECEIVED GRANT FUNDING FOR, UH, THIS CAME OUT OF A ACTUALLY A 2021 BUDGET AMENDMENT, UH, FORMULATED FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA SEE TODAY IN, UM, CHAIR ALCORE, AND I APPRECIATE YOU, UH, WEAVING THIS IN.
I KNOW WE WANTED IT ALSO TO COME TO RESILIENCE COMMITTEE, BUT BECAUSE IT HAS SUCH A, THE LACK OF ACCESSIBLE RECYCLING HAS A PROFOUND IMPACT ON CITY FINANCES.
UH, AND SO THIS IS VERY GERMANE CHAIR.
I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN A STRONG PROPONENT OF THIS AS WELL AS OTHER PROGRAMS. UM, SO I JUST WANNA THANK YOU ALL, BUT WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO SEE THIS UPDATE.
UH, IT'S BEEN YEARS IN THE MAKING, SO WE APPRECIATE IT.
THANK YOU FOR SETTING THAT UP.
OKAY, WITH THAT, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
WE HAVE VERONICA LAMA, CHIEF OF STAFF, AND OF COURSE DIRECTOR LARRY ASS.
LARRY ASSEN FELL OUT OF MY HEAD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR HAVING US.
UH, THANK YOU DIRECTOR FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
UM, I'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED, BUT MADAM CHAIR, THANK YOU FOR BEING A LEADER, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, UH, ESPECIALLY HELPING US, UH, GET THROUGH SOME OF THESE, UH, BIG INITIATIVES THAT, UM, THAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON.
UH, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN.
UH, WE HAD A LONG RANGE PLAN BACK IN 21, AND THEN OF COURSE IN 23 WE FINISHED UP A SERIES OF RESOURCE RECYCLING IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE, UM, STAKEHOLDER GROUPS WHERE WE DID GET TO THIS POINT WHERE WE HAVE THE, UH, MULTIFAMILY, UM, RECYCLING PROJECT.
BUT I JUST WANNA, THE FIRST TWO SLIDES ARE A COUPLE OF BRIEFINGS ON, UM, SOME OF THE RESULTS OF THAT STUDY, WHICH WERE THAT YOU'VE GOT ABOUT 82% OF RECYCLING IN, UM, COMMERCIAL AND THE MULTIFAMILY THAT'S, UH, THAT WE'RE NOT TAPPING INTO.
SO OF COURSE, OUR SERVICES ONLY INCLUDES THE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
UH, THE NEXT SLIDE WILL GIVE YOU JUST ANOTHER, UM, HERE'S ANOTHER, UH, YOU KNOW, STAT ON HOW MUCH WE COLLECT FROM CURBSIDE RECYCLING.
UM, AND THEN OUR, UH, THIRD SLIDE, UM, IS A REAL SLIDE I WANTED TO SHOW YOU HERE, UM, ABOUT THE EQUIVALENCY BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL AND, AND UM, COMMERCIAL.
UM, YOU'LL SEE HERE IN THIS PICTURE THAT YOU'VE GOT ABOUT 2.5 ACRES, WHICH IS ROUGHLY 16 TONS PER YEAR.
BUT IF YOU COMPARE THAT TO A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, ABOUT 2.5 ACRES IN A, UH, DOWNTOWN AREA, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT IN THIS EXAMPLE, YOU'LL GET ABOUT A THOUSAND TO 2000
[00:55:01]
TONS PER YEAR OF MATERIALS.UM, WHICH IS WHY THIS WAS IMPORTANT.
UM, AND, UH, AGAIN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN'S OFFICE HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL IN GETTING US TO THE POINT WHERE WE NOW HAVE A MULTI-FAMILY, UH, RECYCLING PILOT PROJECT.
ABOUT THIS PILOT THROUGH A GRANT FROM THE RECYCLING PARTNERSHIP WITH FUNDING FROM THE ALLIANCE TO END PLASTIC WASTE.
THIS PILOT, UH, WILL DELIVER ABOUT 3000, UH, UNITS ACROSS 12 PROPERTIES.
UH, THIS EFFORT IS SUPPORTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN'S OFFICE WHOSE LEADERSHIP HAS HELPED, UH, ENSURE RESOURCES NEEDED TO ADVANCE, UH, THE MULTIFAMILY RECYCLING AND THE CITY'S CLIMATE ACTION, UH, GOAL PLAN GOALS.
UH, WE'VE GOT ABOUT SIX PROPERTIES.
I KNOW THAT'S FURTHER IN THE, IN THE PRESENTATION, BUT THE FREE SERVICE INCLUDES, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO CONTRACT, BUT THE CITY FULLY MANAGES, UH, YOU KNOW, VERY SIMPLE HASSLE-FREE COLLECTION PROGRAM.
UH, IT'S EXCLUSIVE TO HERE IN HOUSTON.
UH, THE END UNIT RECYCLING BINS ARE PROVIDED DOOR TO DOOR, ALONG WITH EDUCATION.
THERE'S MANY MULTIFAMILY PROPERTIES THAT DON'T HAVE ENOUGH ROOM FOR A LIKE 20, 30 YARD CONTAINER.
SO WE ALSO PROVIDE IN THIS PILOT A, UH, VALET SERVICES, UH, WHICH THERE'S TWO PROPERTIES UNDER THE SIX THAT ARE, UM, THAT ARE UTILIZING IT.
UM, IN ADDITION, THOSE SET OUT RATES FOR JUST THE VALET PROPERTIES ARE ABOVE, UH, 20% DEDICATED CITY.
UM, SUPPORT IS OFFERED BY OUR DEPARTMENT.
UH, AGAIN, WE OFFER THE, WE PROVIDE THE CONTAINERS AND WE OF COURSE COLLECT AND TRANSPORT ALL THESE, ALL THE MATERIALS TO FCC.
UH, IN, IN COLLABORATION WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, WE HAVE, UM, WORKED WITH THE HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY AS WELL AS THE HOUSTON APARTMENT ASSOCIATION, UH, TO GET, UH, ROUGHLY SIX PROPERTIES.
AND WE'VE GOT ONE IN, ONE IN THE WORKS RIGHT NOW.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, DONE IN-PERSON VIRTUAL MEETINGS AS WELL AS INFORMATIONAL WEBINARS.
UH, FOR THE APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT ARE INTERESTED.
UM, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF, UM, I'LL SAY INTEREST, BUT, UM, SOME OF COURSE AREN'T CANDIDATES FOR THIS PROGRAM.
UM, OTHERS ARE JUST INQUIRIES.
BUT OUR STAFF HAS GONE OUT AND, UH, VISITED MULTI, UH, SEVERAL FAM, SEVERAL PROPERTIES ACROSS THE CITY.
THE PILOT GOALS ARE TO INCREASE RECYCLING ACCESS AND EDUCATION, UH, TO THE SAMPLE SIZE OF ABOUT THREE, 3000 MULTI-FAMILY UNITS OVER A YEAR AND DISTRIBUTE IN UNIT RECYCLING BINS.
UH, EDUCATION, OF COURSE BEING A TOP PRIORITY.
UM, WE'VE DONE SEVERAL, UH, METHODS OF, OF ENGAGING RESIDENTS AT THE PROPERTIES, INCLUDING AN EDUCATIONAL KIT DELIVERED TO EACH DOOR.
UH, MEASURABLE CHANGE, WE'RE GOING TO OF COURSE, DOCUMENT, UH, HOW THIS, UH, PILOT GOES WITH, UH, PRE AND POST PROGRAM MEASUREMENTS, CONTAMINATION RATES, PARTICIPATION RATES, AS WELL AS, UH, TONNAGE FROM EACH PROPERTY.
HERE ARE THE CURRENTLY ENROLLED PROPERTIES.
UH, YOU'LL SEE THE UNIT COUNTS WE'RE ABOUT 1300 PROPERTIES IN AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR 3000.
SO, COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF YOU'VE GOT SOME IN YOUR DISTRICT, WE'RE INTERESTED SO THAT YOU'LL SEE THE PROPERTY LIST HERE, AND OF COURSE, WHETHER THERE ARE ONSITE OR VALET ON THE RIGHT.
UM, SO FAR, AGAIN, I'VE MENTIONED THE SIX PROPERTIES.
SERVICES STARTED ROUGHLY IN OCTOBER.
WE'VE HAD NO MISSED COLLECTIONS, NO ILLEGAL DUMPING, LIKE I KNOW MANY PEOPLE WERE HESITANT 'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA GET A LOT OF ILLEGAL DUMPING.
UM, VALET PROPERTIES ARE ACHIEVING ABOUT, UH, 20%.
I KNOW 20% SOUNDS LOW, BUT IN THE MULTIFAMILY WORLD, IT'S ACTUALLY A REALLY GOOD PARTICIPATION RATE.
UH, MEDIUM TO LOW CONTAMINATION RATES, AND OF COURSE, VISUAL INSPECTIONS BY THE SOLID WASTE TEAM WHERE THEY'RE TRACKING FOR CONTAMINATION.
AND OF COURSE, UM, REPLACING 'EM AS THEY GET FULL.
WE'VE COLLECTED ABOUT 9,080 POUNDS, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN DIVERTED SO FAR.
AND AGAIN, IT SOUNDS LOW, BUT RECYCLING IS REALLY LIGHT.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A GOOD NUMBER AT LEAST FOR THE, FOR THE PAST FIVE MONTHS THAT WE'VE COLLECTED.
UH, INTRODUCING A NEW PROGRAM AT THESE PROPERTIES.
SO WHAT'S NEXT? UH, BUILDING ON EARLY SUCCESSES, THE PROGRAM, WE'LL MOVE INTO THE NEXT PHASE OF EXPANSION, WHICH IS CAMDEN PROPERTIES.
WE'VE BEEN AFTER CAMDEN FOR A WHILE, SO THIS IS, UH, A PLUS.
AND I, I DO WANNA THANK, I'VE, MEGAN RICHAY IS IN THE BACK HERE, AND SHE'S BEEN DOING ALL THE GROUNDWORK ON THIS.
AND SO I JUST WANNA THANK HER.
UM, SHE'S WORKING DIRECTLY WITH CAMDEN AND ALONG WITH THE RECYCLING PARTNERSHIP, AND WE'RE HOPING TO GET THEM ONBOARDED IN APRIL.
UH, THE GOAL IS TO ENROLL APPROXIMATELY 1200 RESIDENTS FROM THAT PROPERTY.
UM, AND THEN WE'VE GOT, OF COURSE, HER CONTACT INFORMATION IN CASE COUNCIL MEMBERS YOU'VE GOT ANY, ANY, UM, MULTI-FAMILY PROPERTIES IN YOUR DISTRICT THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN THIS FREE PROGRAM.
SO I'VE PUT MEGAN'S, UH, POINT
[01:00:01]
OF CONTACT THERE.AND THANK YOU BOTH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND DIRECTOR WHEN YOU FIRST CAME IN, UH, TO YOUR POSITION.
I SAID WE CAN'T LET THIS GO BECAUSE OF THE, THE IMPACT THAT THIS CAN HAVE, BOTH FINANCIALLY AND IN TERMS OF SERVICES AND ENVIRONMENTAL.
UM, SO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PARTNERSHIP.
I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION.
THAT HAS BEEN EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
ONCE WE PASS THE BUDGET AMENDMENT.
THERE WERE ACTUAL, UH, GROUP MEETINGS AND THE PILOT PROGRAM IS WHAT THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION AND OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS RECOMMENDED WE DO AS A FIRST STEP.
I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE THOUGH THAT WE ARE SO BEHIND IN TIMELINE, WHICH IS OKAY, THAT HAPPENS.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THIS IS DONE METHODICALLY.
UM, BUT JUST TO KIND LAY OUT THE GROUNDWORK FOR ANYONE THAT IS INTERESTED IN YOUR DISTRICT, THERE'S NO COST FOR PARTNER, UH, PROPERTIES.
AND IT, WE ARE LOOKING FOR A DIVERSE ARRAY OF BOTH, UM, MARKET PROPERTIES AND INCOME BASED HOUSING.
AND I WANNA THANK THE HOUSING AUTHORITY 'CAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLE.
UM, THE PROGRAM ITSELF DOES NOT COST THE CITY OF HOUSTON ANYTHING, AND IT DOES NOT COST THESE PROPERTIES, ANYTHING.
IT IS TO SEE WHAT IS WORKING AND NOT WORKING.
SO TO THAT END, UH, COULD YOU ALL OPINE, I KNOW YOU SAID 20% PARTICIPATION.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE EDUCATION, THE CONTAMINATION RATES COMPARED TO, UH, ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE, WHAT WE'RE SEEING? SURE.
RESIDENTIAL WISE, WE'RE ABOUT, UH, 38% IN CONTAMINATION.
UM, OF COURSE THESE ARE DONE THROUGH AUDITS WITH FCC, UH, HERE WE'RE, UM, AND, AND MAYBE MEGAN, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO HELP ME WITH WHAT THE CONTAMINATION RATE IS AT THE PROPERTY COMPLEXES, BUT IT'S LOW.
UM, JUST PARTICIPATION ALONE BEING AT 20% WHEN MAYBE THE STANDARD IS ROUGHLY 5%.
UM, WE, WE, WE'VE NOTICED A LOT LOWER, I KNOW WE'RE DOING VISUAL INSPECTIONS, PHOTOS, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ACTUAL RATE IS.
'CAUSE WE HAVEN'T DONE, UH, A, UH, WE HAVEN'T DONE A AUDIT YET.
UM, AND SO WE'LL, WE'LL BE DOING THAT HERE MIDWAY.
AND THEN I BELIEVE AT THE END AS WELL TO SEE HOW WE END UP IN CONTAMINATION, UH, FOR THESE COMPLEXES, UH, WE, YOU KNOW, THESE, THESE, UH, DROP OFF ROLL OFF BOXES ARE LIKE WINDOW BASED, SO YOU CAN'T JUST COME AND DUMP A COUCH IN RIGHT.
AND THINGS LIKE THAT WHERE WE'D GET THE EXTRA CONTAMINATION.
UM, SO THAT HELPS MITIGATE SOME OF THE CONTAMINATION.
UH, BUT YOU DO HAVE, UM, MEGAN IS, UM, ALSO FEET ON THE GROUND WITH, UM, RESIDENTIAL MEETINGS, WHETHER IT'S THEIR SAFETY MEETING OR THEIR MONTHLY MEETINGS, OR EVEN JUST NOTICES THAT COMES MAYBE BY WAY OF, OF A MOBILE APPLICATION, UH, WITH THAT COMPLEX TO REMIND FOLKS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT TO RECYCLE AND WHAT NOT TO RECYCLE, UH, AS WELL AS SHE'S USUALLY, YOU KNOW, PROMPTLY AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS FOR THOSE PROPERTIES.
AND HOW, ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN WE DISCUSSED THIS INITIALLY SEVERAL YEARS AGO WAS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN MULTIFAMILY HOUSING.
AND I THINK THE GRA THE FOOTAGE, THE IMAGES YOU SHOWED YES.
OF COMMERCIAL VERSUS RESIDENTIAL AND HOW MUCH WASTE IS ACTUALLY BEING CREATED.
I KNOW NEARLY HALF, IF NOT NOW, MORE THAN HALF OF HOUSTONIANS LIVE IN MULTIFAMILY HOUSING NOW AND DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO RECYCLING.
AND ALL OF THAT WASTE IS BEING, UH, SENT TO OUR LANDFILLS.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT LANDFILL, UH, I GUESS TIMELINE TO END OF LIFE FOR A LANDFILL? WHAT THE COST IS TO ACTUALLY CREATE A NEW LANDFILL? UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE HAVE TO PUT THEM FARTHER OUT, SO THEN YOU HAVE TRUCKS GOING EVEN FARTHER.
THAT'S ADDITIONAL WEAR AND TEAR.
SO THERE'S ALL THESE ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS TO THE CREATION OF A NEW LANDFILL.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT JUST THE RESOURCE STRAIN AND WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT? ABSOLUTELY.
THIS, UH, THE PIE GRAPH HERE IS SHOWING, UH, AS A RESULT FROM THE RESOURCE RECOVERY, UH, COMMITTEE, UH, REALLY SHOWED THE 82% OF THE WASTE IN, IN THE CITY THAT IS NOT BEING RECOVERED.
UH, THE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE YOU, WE DO HAVE MULTI-FAMILY, I'M SORRY.
WE DO HAVE SINGLE FAMILY THAT HAS OF COURSE A RECYCLING PROGRAM, BUT IF YOU'LL SEE 82% DOES NOT.
UM, I THINK THE, MAYBE THE SECOND, THE NEXT SLIDE AFTER THIS TALKS ABOUT THE NINE YEARS LEFT, UH, REMAINING AT MCCARTY LANDFILL.
UM, THAT IS OF COURSE IN OUR TCEQ REPORT.
UH, WE, UH, WOULD, WHEN THAT CLOSES, OF COURSE THAT'LL BE A STRAIN ON, UH, THE ONE THAT THEY HAVE IN THE SOUTH.
AND OF COURSE WE'VE GOT A WASTE MANAGEMENT IN THE NORTH.
UM, BUT OF COURSE, THIS BEING THE CLOSEST AND THE MOST USED BY THE DEPARTMENT, UM, WE'LL HAVE AN EFFECT OF COURSE ON, UH, TRAVEL TIME.
AND A COST FACTOR TO IT IS, IS WE HAVE TO TRAVEL FURTHER.
UM, IN ADDITION, UH, YOU KNOW, TO BRING ON A NEW LANDFILL, UH, WHEN THIS COMMITTEE WAS GOING ON, UH, WE HEARD IT ROUGHLY A 15 YEAR,
[01:05:01]
UM, TIMEFRAME TO BRING ON A NEW LANDFILL.AND OF COURSE, THERE'S PROBABLY NOT A LOT OF SPACE IN THE CITY.
SO THESE WOULD PROBABLY BE LANDFILLS, TO YOUR POINT, COUNCIL MEMBER WOULD BE FURTHER OUT THAN, UM, THAN SOMETHING AS CLOSE AS WHAT MCCARTY IS.
AND, AND MADAM CHAIR, IF I MAY JUST FOLLOW UP ON THAT, IN THE NEXT NINE YEARS, WE RUN OUT OF SPACE AT MCCARTY, BUT IT TAKES HOW MANY YEARS TO ACTUALLY STAND UP A NEW LANDFILL.
SO OUR CONSULTANT, UH, GAVE US A 15 YEAR ESTIMATE.
SO WE'RE ALREADY BEHIND THE CURB ON THAT.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO CREATE A NEW LANDFILL? THAT NUMBER I DON'T HAVE, I'M PRETTY SURE IT'S IN THE STUDY COUNCIL MEMBER.
THE FINAL REPORT FROM THE RRIC.
UM, AND MY, ONE OF MY LAST QUESTIONS, AND I'M HAPPY TO GO BACK IN QUEUE, UM, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS STRAINED, EMPLOYEES ARE WORKING AS HARD AS THEY CAN AND THEY DO YEOMAN'S WORK AND DON'T GET THE CREDIT THAT THEY SHOULD FOR THAT WHEN IMPLEMENTED VIA ORDINANCE, THIS DEPARTMENT ITSELF, THE CITY OF HOUSTON WOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RECYCLING AT COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.
IS THAT CORRECT? THIS WOULD BE JUST LIKE COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN DISPOSAL OF TRADITIONAL WASTE.
THEY TOO WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE.
SO THIS DOES NOT PULL AWAY FROM PERSONNEL AND STAFFING AND COSTS AT THE CITY OF HOUSTON? THAT'S CORRECT.
IT'S MORE OF AN ENFORCEMENT, A REPORTING AND ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.
AND, AND PART OF COURSE THE RRIC WAS TO LOOK AT HOW SAN ANTONIO, DALLAS, UH, AUSTIN ARE DOING THEIRS.
AND OF COURSE THEY'VE GOT, UM, MANDATORY RECYCLING FOR MULTIFAMILY.
UM, AND I BELIEVE I, WHAT I UNDERSTAND IS THEIR PROGRAMS ARE MOSTLY REPORTING IN AND OF COURSE, ENFORCEMENT VIA INSPECTIONS.
AND I KNOW THAT HOUSTON IS THE ONLY MAJOR CITY IN TEXAS THAT DOES NOT HAVE A MULTI-FAMILY RECYCLING PROGRAM.
REALLY QUICKLY, WHAT IS THE RRIC? I'M, IF YOU KICK YOU BACK IN THE QUEUE, SORRY.
THAT'S, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WITH THE RRIC, JUST TO ELABORATE ON WHAT THAT IS.
SO IT'S THE RESOURCE RECOVERY AND IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE.
IT, UH, WAS WENT, WENT ON FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF, UH, 2023 THROUGH 2024.
AND SO THERE WAS A FINAL REPORT DONE, AND THAT'S HOW THIS PROGRAM CAME ABOUT.
AND I ALWAYS SAY THE LANDFILL GIVES ME ANXIETY.
THAT'S WHY I'M A COMPOSTER AND RECYCLER.
UM, JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT I WAS RECENTLY OUT FCC AND THEY'RE CERTAIN, CERTAINLY VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE CONTAMINATION RATE ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE.
AND THEY ACTUALLY WILL BE HERE ON MAY 7TH TO PRESENT FOR THE RESILIENCE COMMITTEE.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, TO THE POINT OF THE LANDFILL GIVING ANYONE ANXIETY, THE MORE CONTAMINATION, THE MORE THE LANDFILL GETS FILLED.
AND SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE VERY FOCUSED ON THE CONVERSATION WAS, UM, ABOUT THE MONEY THAT THEY'RE LOSING ON THE CONTAMINATION AND, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
CITY OF HOUSTON HAS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF CONTAMINATION.
UM, CERTAINLY, CERTAINLY GLAD TO SEE THE MULTIFAMILY, BUT I, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT, UH, AND WE'LL GET WITH Y'ALL, BUT JUST TO, TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN GET THE EDUCATION.
I MEAN, IT, IT'S A, IT'S A PROBLEM.
AND I STOOD THERE WATCHING IN THE WINDOW AND I'M LIKE, THIS IS A HUNDRED PERCENT CONTAMINATION.
I MEAN, 'CAUSE IT'S, IT'S A LOT.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THAT FILLED LANDFILL IS, IS A, IS JUST OVER THE HORIZON.
I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT TOO, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S GONNA TAKE A WHILE TO REPLACE AND WHAT DO WE DO WITH ALL THAT GARBAGE? ANYWAY, THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND I THINK WHEN THEY DID THE CONTRACT, I THINK THEY WERE ANTICIPATING ABOUT 25% AND IT'S BEEN ALMOST DOUBLE.
COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I, I THOUGHT I UNDERSTOOD THE PROGRAM, BUT THE ABBY'S LAST QUESTION KIND OF CONFUSED ME.
SO IS THE CITY IS NOT PICKING UP THIS RECYCLING AND TAKING IT TO THE RECYCLING CENTER? YES, FOR THE PILOT PROJECT COUNCIL MEMBER, WE ARE.
AND, UH, THESE ARE VIA A ROUGHLY 20 TO 30 YARD, UH, CONTAINER THAT'S PLACED AT THE MULTIFAMILY PROPERTY.
UM, THAT'S PART OF OUR ROLL OFF, UH, PROGRAM.
SO, SO WE TAKE THE ROLL, ROLL OFFS AND AS FAR AS THE LOW CONTAMINATION RATES, HOW ARE WE DISCERNING BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL RECYCLING AND FROM THIS PROGRAM? THERE CURRENTLY ISN'T.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE GONNA DO AN AUDIT ON JUST THIS MATERIAL.
UH, SO THERE'LL BE A FORTHCOMING AUDIT TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH OF THAT MATERIAL WILL BE.
UM, SO NOT YET, BUT WE WILL, THAT'LL BE SOMETHING FORTHCOMING.
AND AND HOW MUCH WAS THE GRANT FOR THAT WE RECEIVED? IT WAS 300 AND I'M GONNA SAY 8 3 15.
AND, AND THIS PAYS FOR OUR COST FOR HOW LONG? ONE YEAR.
AND IT'S ALL OUR ASSOCIATED COSTS ARE THREE 15? YES.
[01:10:01]
OH, ONE OTHER QUESTION.WHAT IS THE VALET SERVICE? UH, IT'S WHEN YOU HAVE, THE RESIDENTS HAVE PUT THEIR GARBAGE OUT, LIKE RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEIR DOOR AND YOU HAVE SOMEONE COME IN BY TO PICK, COLLECT RATHER THAN THEM GOING TO A, UM, ROLL OFF BOX TO OKAY.
DOES THE CITY GO OUT AND COLLECT DOOR TO DOOR? NO.
SO THAT'S SOMEBODY IN THE APARTMENT COMPLEX? YES.
OR UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT.
THEY'VE CONTRACTED THE SERVICES AND UNDER THE GRANT WE DO PROVIDE, UM, WE DO PAY FOR THAT SERVICE.
UH, UNDER, UH, UNDER THE GRANT.
SO WE HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING FOR THE 3000 TO RIGHT.
TO HANDLE UP TO 3000 UNITS? THAT'S CORRECT, YES.
OUR IN KIND CONTRIBUTION IS THE ROLL OFF BOX.
UH, AND WE, THEY ACTUALLY PURCHASED THEM FOR US.
AND THEN, SO IT'S JUST THE TRANSPORTATION COST BASICALLY GOING THAT YOU'RE SAYING IS TO SCC IS TH IT WILL BE 315,000.
IS THAT WHAT I HEARD? DOES IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE TRANSPORTATION, WHICH IS OUR INKIN CONTRIBUTION AS THE CITY WE CO WE COLLECT AND, UM, TAKE IT TO FCC.
THAT PORTION IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE THREE 15.
I'M JUST TRYING TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE NOT PAYING ANYTHING, BUT WE ARE PAYING SOMETHING.
AND, AND, AND, UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE ARE, WE'RE GIVING IN KIND THROUGH THE ROLL OFF PROGRAM, BUT WE BOUGHT THE ROLL, THE, THE CONTAINERS WITH THE GRANT FUNDING.
WE BOUGHT THE CONTAINERS WITH THE GRANT FUNDING.
THE, IN THE IN UNIT BINS, UH, CAME FROM THAT, UH, THE VALET LIVING PORTION, WHICH IS NOT VALET LIVING, THAT'S THE NAME OF A COMPANY.
THE VALET SERVICES ARE BEING PAID FOR BY THE GRANT.
UM, AND THE ONLY THING THAT WE ARE PROVIDING AS AN IN KIND IS THE COLLECTION, UH, PICKUP AND DROP OFF AT FCC.
SO DO WE, DO WE HAVE A NUMBER FOR THAT? WE DON'T.
BUT ESSENTIALLY THIS HAS ALL BEEN GRANT FUNDED RIGHT.
OTHER THAN THAT TRANSPORTATION.
AND WE HAVE GRANT FUNDING TO HANDLE 3000 UNITS.
AFTER THAT, WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION.
ALSO, WANNA SHOUT OUT TO THE HOUSTON DEPARTMENT ASSOCIATION AS WELL FOR BEING, UH, A PARTNER WITH YOU GUYS ON THIS.
THEY WERE HERE YESTERDAY AND, UH, IT, IT'S A GOOD THING FOR THE CITY WHEN INDUSTRY IS ABLE TO GIVE INPUT ON, ON OUR LEGISLATION, UM, REGARDING THE LANDFILL SITUATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, EARLIER IN SERVICE DELIVERY, WE HAD A PRESENTATION ON, ON WATER.
AND, UM, MANY HOUSTONIANS MAY NOT KNOW THIS, BUT WE ARE NOT IN THE SITUATION THAT CORPUS CHRISTI IS WITH A SHORTAGE OF WATER.
WE HAVE WATER TO LAST US FOR, FOR MANY YEARS, THROUGH THE FORESIGHT OF PRIOR ADMINISTRATIONS DECADES AGO, THAT ARRANGED FOR US TO BE ABLE TO TAP INTO THE WATER IN LAKE LIVINGSTON.
UH, AND SO WE WE'RE, WE'RE DOING GOOD ON WATER SUPPLY.
WE HAVE OTHER WATER ISSUES LIKE THE TREATMENT PLANTS, BUT, UH, TO THE POINT THAT WAS MADE, WE NEED TO GET AHEAD OF THIS LANDFILL SITUATION.
AND DIRECTOR HASSEN, CAN YOU TELL US, UH, WHAT, IF ANYTHING, THE CITY'S DOING TO, TO GET AHEAD OF THE LANDFILL, UH, FILLING SITUATION? YES, SIR.
SO WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING HERE RECENTLY, UH, ONCE I FIRST RECEIVED THE REPORTS OF THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF THE LANDFILL, WE MET WITH OUR, UH, PARTNERS, UH, WASTE MANAGEMENT REPUBLIC TO ACTUALLY GAUGE ON WHERE THEIR NEXT MOVE WILL BE AS FAR AS LANDFILLS IN WHICH, UH, YOU ALL ARE CORRECT.
MOST OF THE NEW LANDFILLS THAT ARE BEING CONSTRUCTED OR A LITTLE BIT FURTHER OUT.
SO WE HAVE TO COME THROUGH, UM, OUR TEAM AND I HAVE TO SIT DOWN AND COME UP WITH, UH, THINGS LOGISTICALLY ON HOW IT CAN STILL BE BENEFICIAL, WHETHER THAT'S CONTRACTING LONG HAULING.
NOW WE ARE, WE WE'RE REACHING OUT TO, UH, OTHER LARGER CITIES THAT HAVE THE SAME SIMILAR, UH, ISSUE THAT THEY HAVE.
'CAUSE MOST OF THE LANDFILLS ARE, UH, CURRENTLY NOT IN THEIR, THEIR CITY.
SO WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER WITH THOSE, UM, LARGER CITIES TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY'RE DOING IT AND HOW WE CAN BE, UH, JUST AS EFFICIENT.
LET ME ASK A, A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SLIDE, UH, SLIDE DECK THAT YOU ALL, UH, PRESENTED.
SLIDE NUMBER TWO BREAKS DOWN THE SOURCE OF WASTE.
UH, 67% COMMERCIAL, THAT'S ALL PRIVATE PICKUP, UH, 15% MULTIFAMILY, THAT'S ALL PRIVATE PICKUP AS WELL.
SO, SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UH, YOUR, YOUR TYPICAL WASTE, UH, THE CITY, UH, ONLY HANDLES SINGLE FAMILY CURRENTLY AND THAT'S LISTED AT 18%.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU TELL US, GIVE US AN IDEA WHAT, HOW MUCH OF THAT 18% DOES THE CITY PICK UP VERSUS, UH, WHAT IS PICKED UP BY, BY PRIVATE SERVICES? DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION? SURE.
SO WE HAVE ABOUT A 400,000 CUSTOMER BASE, RIGHT? MM-HMM
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE, I'M GONNA SAY 50
[01:15:01]
TO, LET'S JUST CALL IT 50 TO 80 OF SPONSOR, WHAT WE CALL SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM, WHERE THE CITY OFFERS A REBATE, UH, FOR LACK OF BETTER WORDS, THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR CITY SERVICES CAN UTILIZE A PRIVATE HAULER.SO ABOUT 400,000 OUT OF ABOUT 480,000.
UM, I, I WANTED TO GO BACK TO THIS.
UH, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I THINK THE PLAN IS VERY NEEDFUL AND TO A DEGREE IN TERMS OF IT, MY CONCERN AND, AND IS, IS THAT, UM, I THINK MADAM CHAIR ADDRESSED IT SOMEWHAT IN REGARDS TO THE NUMBER AND THE GRANT, THE GRANT PART OF IT, THE IN KIND, WHAT IS THAT AMOUNT THAT WE ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THAT, TO THIS PLAN, THIS PILOT PLAN? WHAT, WHAT HEART NUMBER IS THAT WE CAN GET YOU AN ESTIMATE COUNCILS MEMBER, WHEN WE FIRST WENT INTO THIS AGREEMENT, UH, WE, WE DEFINITELY SHARED, UM, I BELIEVE THERE WAS SOME NUMBERS SHARED.
IT'S BEEN ABOUT A YEAR AGO THAT WE DID THIS, UH, THAT WE SIGNED THE, THE AGREEMENT.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO GO BACK AND SEE WHAT THAT NUMBER IS.
GOOD, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THAT.
THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT NUMBER.
SO ALSO MY SECOND, UH, IS THAT TO PICK UP, I DROVE, I RODE AROUND WITH THE ROLL OFF.
UH, I HAD A CHANCE TO GO WITH THEM, UH, AND SPEAK TO THE HOPE UNION AND ALL A BIG CONCERN ABOUT THE TIME HOURS THEY'RE CONCERNED WITH IN REGARDS TO THE OVERTIME THAT'S NOT AVAILABLE NOW AS IT WAS.
SO HOW MUCH TIME IS REQUIRED TO MEET THIS PILOT PROGRAM BY THE PEOPLE WHO, WHO PICK IT UP? SO, AT VARIOUS COUNCIL MEMBERS? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
WHAT WE HAVE TO, WHAT WE HAD TO DO WAS TAKE A LOOK AT, FROM, FROM A OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT MM-HMM
ON HOW MANY VEHICLES THAT WE HAD AVAILABLE.
IT VARIES HOW MANY DRIVERS ARE AVAILABLE AND HOW MANY PIECES OF EQUIPMENT ARE AVAILABLE WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY STILL ADHERING TO OUR NORMAL, UH, DAY-TO-DAY FUNCTIONS.
UH, WE, WITH THE REDUCTION IN OVERTIME, WE'RE STILL ABLE TO ADHERE TO OUR NORMAL CORE FUNCTIONS WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY, UH, WORKING WITH THE PILOT PROGRAM.
BUT WE WILL GET YOU THOSE HARD NUMBERS ONCE WE TAKE A LOOK AT IT, SIR.
WELL, LET ME COMMEND YOU IN DOING THAT.
BUT AS WE DO KNOW, WE IF, IF NOTHING ELSE, WE GET MORE CALLS ALL THE TIME ABOUT SOLID WAYS, UH, PICKUPS AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO, UM, YOU KNOW, GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING, BUT TO MAKE THOSE TWO THINGS AVAILABLE WOULD BE VERY ADVANTAGEOUS TO US.
THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
YOU DON'T WANNA COMMEND YOU THERE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, UH, WE WANT TO KNOW AT LEAST HOW WE CAN HELP TO DEFEND THE PROGRAM AND OR ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT OTHER AREAS BECAUSE YOU GOT A HARD JOB.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE THUS FAR.
WHEN COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ WAS ASKING ABOUT THE NUMBER OF SPONSOR, YOU SAID ABOUT 80,000 HOMES SINGLE FAMILY HOMES HAVE SPONSORED ARE UNDER SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM? OR IS THAT, I THOUGHT IT WAS BETWEEN 50 AND 80 AND WE CAN GET YOU THAT AMOUNT.
WE CAN, AND WE PICK UP ABOUT 400,000.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN ONE, AS IT PERTAINS TO RESOURCE ALLOCATION WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SIX PROPERTIES AND ROLLER TRUCKS, WHICH WAS COMPLETELY IRRELEVANT TO RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.
THAT CORRECT? SEPARATE, YES, MA'AM.
COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER, UH, I APOLOGIZE IF I WAS CONFUSING.
I WAS TRYING TO LAY OUT THINGS VERY QUICKLY.
ONCE THIS, IF AND WHEN THIS IS IMPLEMENTED CITYWIDE, AND THE REASON WHY ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDERS ASK FOR A PILOT PROGRAM WAS TO SEE HOW WE CAN DO THIS AND MAKE SURE IT'S SUCCESSFUL, THAT IT MAKES A, UH, IT'S A FINANCIAL GAIN FOR THE CITY, OR AT LEAST BREAK EVEN.
AND THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY DIVERTING WASTE EFFECTIVELY ONCE THAT, NOT THE PILOT PROGRAM.
BUT IF AND WHEN WE HAVE A, LIKE ALL OTHER MAJOR CITIES IN TEXAS, A MULTI-FAMILY RECYCLING REQUIREMENT OR PROGRAM, IT WOULD NOT BE THE CITY OF HOUSTON OPERATING THAT PROGRAM.
THERE WOULD NO BE STAFF, THERE WOULD NOT BE STAFF TRUCKS, ET CETERA, JUST LIKE APARTMENT COMPLEXES HANDLE THEIR OWN WASTE DISPOSAL CURRENTLY.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
UH, YOU LOOK AT THE PROGRAMS ACROSS OTHER CITIES AND IT IS A REPORTING AND ENFORCEMENT, UH, FUNCTION OF THE CITY LESS THAN,
[01:20:01]
UM, AND NOT A WHERE WE TAKE ON THE APARTMENT COMPLEX.SO I JUST, I WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT.
UM, AND AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING CURRENTLY ABOUT SIX PROPERTIES AND 650 SQUARE MILES, UH, TO DO THIS, TO POTENTIALLY SAVE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN THE LONG RUN.
UH, AND I AGAIN, WANNA THANK OUR PARTNERS FOR PROVIDING THE GRANT FUNDING.
ONE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES, COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER, TO YOUR POINT ABOUT CONTAMINATION RATES, WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING, AND AGAIN, THE DEPARTMENT'S TRYING NEW THINGS IN RESIDENTIAL, HOW DO WE EDUCATE RESIDENTS FOR CONTAMINATION RATES? AND WE'RE STILL NOT SEEING THOSE NUMBERS THAT WE NEED TO BE SEEING, BUT WITH THIS PROGRAM, THEY'RE GOING SO IN DEPTH WITH ADDITIONAL OUTSIDE EXPERTS ON RESIDENT EDUCATION SO THAT WE CAN HAVE DATA POINTS ON WHAT'S WORKING WITH EDUCATION, WHAT'S NOT WORKING WITH EDUCATION BASED ON DIFFERENT PROPERTIES, BASED ON DIFFERENT RESIDENTS NEEDS.
SOME PLACES HAVE VALET PICKUP, THAT'S THE DOOR TO DOOR PICKUP.
OTHERS HAVE THE MAIN CENTRALIZED DROP LOCATION.
SO WE'RE GONNA SEE WHAT WORKS.
AND MY HOPE IS THAT THAT CAN ALSO BE EXTRACTED AND APPLIED TO RESIDENTIAL RECYCLING AS WELL.
UH, SO THAT THIS IS A BENEFIT AND A GAIN FOR THE CITY AS A WHOLE WHILE DOING THE RIGHT THING, WHILE REDUCING, UH, LANDFILL USE AND DIVERTING WASTE.
IT'S GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, IT'S GOOD FOR EVERYTHING.
UH, AND IT'S A SERVICE THAT WE SHOULD BE PROVIDING.
WE'RE SPACE CITY, AND YET WE DON'T EVEN HAVE RECYCLING.
SO AGAIN, I WANNA THANK YOU ALL DIRECTOR I WANTED TO GIVE YOU, UNLESS THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE IN QUEUE, I DID WANNA GIVE THE DIRECTOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO CLOSE OUT.
LET, LET'S PAUSE FOR A MOMENT AND GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER.
UM, JUST TO, TO CLARIFY THE, UM, FACT THAT ON THE, UH, RECYCLING FOR THE MULTIFAMILY, YOU HAVE SPECIFIC ROLL OFFS THAT ARE USED FOR IT.
AS I UNDERSTAND FROM FCC, PART OF THE ISSUE WITH CONTAMINATION IS NOT REALLY AT THE, WELL, PART OF IT IS, IS ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE THAT THE INDIVIDUAL'S RECYCLING, BUT IT'S IN THE TRUCKS BECAUSE THE TRUCKS ARE CONTAMINATED TO BEGIN WITH BECAUSE WE'RE PICKING UP WITH, WITH SOLID WASTE TRUCKS AND NOT DEDICATED RECYCLE TRUCKS.
SO IF WE'RE USING RECYCLE ROLL OFFS AND THAT'S ALL THAT'S GOING IN THE CON CONTAMINATION RATE, BY VIRTUE OF IT BEING A CLEAN CONTAINER WOULD BE LESS ANYWAY.
SO ON THE EDUCATION SIDE, I, I CERTAINLY, UH, RESPECT THAT, THAT COMMENT OF YOUR, YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT EDUCATION, BUT FROM THE, AS I UNDERSTAND FROM FCC AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER WAS SHAKING HIS HEAD, AND THAT FROM MY UNDERSTAND FROM FCC, IT'S AT THE TRUCK LEVEL, THAT THE STARTING CONTAMINATION, EVEN IF IT'S CLEAN, SOMETIMES WE'RE USING CONTAMINATED TRUCKS.
IS THAT A FACT, OR YES AND NO.
SO LET, LET ME EXPLAIN WHAT WHAT THEY MEAN, BECAUSE WE'RE STILL, WE STILL HAVE SOME DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN, UM, HOW IT WORKS.
IF WE HAVE A TRUCK, THE TRUCK DOESN'T START OFF CONTAMINATED.
UM, THAT'S KIND OF, UM, A LITTLE BIT FARFETCHED TO SAY THAT THE TRUCK IS CONTAMINATED.
WHAT IT IS, THE EDUCATIONAL PIECE.
WE WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER TO PARTNER TO GET AN EDUCATIONAL PIECE OUT THERE TO TEACH CLEAN RECYCLING.
BUT AS FAR AS OUR TRUCKS LEAVE, THE LEAVING THE YARD TO GO PICK UP THE FIRST CAN, UH, AND THE TRUCK IS CONTAMINATED.
NO, THAT'S NOT COMPLETELY TRUE.
I DON'T TALK TRASH VERY WELL, BUT
AND THAT'S, THAT'S QUESTIONABLE AT TIMES.
BUT I DID UNDERSTAND, I UNDERSTOOD FROM A LENGTHY DISCUSSION THAT TO BE A PROBLEM.
SO YOU MAY WANNA DOUBLE CHECK ON THAT FROM, FROM MY VISIT OUT THERE.
UM, COUNCILWOMAN CARTER'S IS CORRECT.
THEY, THEY HAD SOME ISSUES WITH, UM, SOME OF THE TRUCKS WHO HAD DONE A RESIDENTIAL PART OF A RESIDENTIAL ROUTE AND HAD NOT EMPTIED BEFORE THEY STARTED PICKING UP THE RECYCLING.
AND I WAS OUT THERE I THINK ABOUT EIGHT OR NINE MONTHS AGO, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH OF THAT ISSUE IS, IS NOW.
BUT THAT WAS, THAT, THAT WAS WHAT THEY WERE REFERRING TO.
THE CONTAMINATION WAS ESSENTIALLY, IT HAD RESIDENTIAL PICKUP IN IT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, SHE'S GOOD.
THE LASTING QUEUE, I DID WANNA GIVE THE DIRECTOR AND VERONICA, UM, AND I DO WANNA THANK THE ENTIRE TEAM.
THIS HAS BEEN YEARS IN THE MAKING AND HOUSTON IS BEHIND THE BALL, UH, ON WHAT IS A STANDARD SERVICE THAT IS PROVIDED FOR RESIDENTS OF A MAJOR CITY.
UH, BUT I DID WANNA GIVE Y'ALL KIND OF THE LAST WORD, UH, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE CHAIR, UH, ON THIS PROGRAM RIGHT
[01:25:01]
NOW.AND I WOULD JUST ADD, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT OF COURSE, UM, THE MORE RECYCLING, THE LONGER THE LIFE OF THE LANDFILL, WHICH WE KNOW WE'RE IN A BIT OF TROUBLE WITH THIS DIFFERENTIATION WITH ONE CLOSING IN NINE YEARS, IS THAT OF COURSE, ALL THE MORE RECYCLING, THE LONGER WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UH, ON THE LIFE OF THAT LANDFILL.
THE MORE WE CAN DIVERT
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ALL TRYING TO DO HERE.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DIRECTOR HASSAN, VERONICA, APPRECIATE BOTH OF YOU BEING HERE.
AND WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO PUBLIC SPEAKERS FOR THIS ITEM.
FIRST WITH, WE'LL START WITH MIKE GARVER, THE VERY FAMOUS MIKE GARVER, WHO I THINK WON THE BUFFALO BAYOU REGATTA LAST WEEK.
I THINK HE, I THINK THEY MAY HAVE A SPECIAL PRIZE FOR HIM SINCE HE DOES SO MUCH FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND CLEAN WATER AND BUFFALO BAYOU.
AND IT WAS FUN TO SEE YOU OUT AT THE BUFFALO BAYOU REGATTA.
WELL, I WON THE DIVISION THEY SET UP FOR OLD PEOPLE.
YEAH, I, WE WON SOME OF THAT TOO.
SO, UM, WE APPRECIATE YOU ALL.
WHAT HAPPENED TO MY, I'M HERE
WELL JUST, UH, THIS IS MY DAUGHTER GRETCHEN, AND, UH, THEY FIGURED OUT THAT I'M TOO OLD TO DO THIS ANYMORE.
SO SHE'S TAKEN, TAKEN, UH, A, A, A LEAD HERE.
BUT, UH, WE DEFINITELY, UH, AS WE'RE TEXANS FOR CLEAN WATER AND ALSO BUFFALO BIO PARTNERSHIP.
AND SO WE'RE VERY INTERESTED IN, UH, OUR RECYCLABLES BEING RECYCLED AND NOT WINDING UP IN BUFFALO BIO AND OUR OTHER STREAMS. AND THEN THEY FINALLY MAKE IT TO THE PORT OF HOUSTON, WHICH IS THE LAST STOP BETWEEN DOWNTOWN AND HOUSTON, UH, UNTIL IT MAKES IT INTO THE GO TO THE GULF.
BUT, UH, WE, WE ALSO ARE A, HAVE A HALF A MILLION DOLLAR BOAT THAT'S PICKING UP THIS TRASH OUT OF BUFFALO BIO.
AND, UH, WE WOULD CERTAINLY LIKE TO SEE IT PICKED UP BEFORE IT EVER GETS INTO THE STREAM.
AND, AND THAT'S WHAT OUR POSITION IS.
UH, UM, BUT WE DEFINITELY SUPPORT THE EFFORT OF THIS BODY FOR, UM, UH, RECYCLING AND ENHANCED RECYCLING AND, UH, APPRECIATE ALL THE TIME YOU'RE SPENDING ON IT AS FAR AS, UH, HOW, HOW THINGS ARE GONNA WORK OUT.
BUT GRETCHEN HAS SOME MORE DETAILED INFORMATION.
I GOTTA, I CAN TALK FASTER AND I'VE GOT A FEW MORE DETAILS.
THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR LETTING US SPEAK TODAY.
I'M GRETCHEN HILLIARD, MIKE'S DAUGHTER, AND I'VE JOINED HIM WITH WHAT HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT I REMEMBER MY ENTIRE LIFE THAT HE'S BEEN PASSIONATE ABOUT CLEANING UP BUFFALO BIO AND THE TRAILS.
AND IF YOU DON'T CLEAN UP THE LITTER ON THE GROUND, IT ENDS UP IN BUFFALO BIO AND MAKES IT OUT TO THE GULF IF IT'S NOT CLEANED UP.
UM, WE AT TEXANS FOR CLEAN WATER, FULLY SUPPORT, MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING RECYCLING.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I'VE RECENTLY MOVED FROM A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE INTO MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING WHERE I DON'T HAVE RECYCLING.
AND IT'S A CHALLENGE TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
I EITHER HAVE TO COLLECT MY RECYCLABLES, TAKE 'EM TO A CENTER, OR TAKE IT TO HIS HOUSE, TAKE IT TO MY SISTER'S OR MY DAUGHTER'S, WHICH THE AVERAGE PERSON IN THIS BUSY LIFE IS NOT GONNA DO THAT.
SO I THINK YES, I AGREE, WE'RE BEHIND AND WE DO NEED MULTI-FAMILY RECYCLING.
WE HAVE ANOTHER IDEA THAT TEXANS FOR CLEAN WATER IS WORKING ON, WHICH WE WOULD LOVE TO SIT DOWN INDIVIDUALLY IN A GROUP AND TALK WITH YOU ABOUT, BECAUSE IT PAIRS NICELY WITH CURBSIDE RECYCLING FOR EVERYONE.
IT'S AN INCENTIVE BASED SYSTEM, WHICH 10 STATES IN THE UNITED STATES HAVE THEM.
THEY'RE CALLED DRS OR DEPOSIT RETURN SYSTEMS.
[01:30:01]
AND WHAT IT DOES IS ENCOURAGES THE PUBLIC TO RETURN THEIR BOTTLES AND CANS FOR EITHER FIVE OR 10 CENTS.AND, UM, OREGON HAS A MAGNIFICENT PROGRAM THAT'S PRIVATELY RUN AND WE TAKE TOURS, WE'RE GONNA PUT ANOTHER TOUR TOGETHER.
ANYBODY WHO'S INTERESTED OR STAFFERS, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU GO.
UM, SO THAT YOU CAN SEE IT FIRSTHAND.
AND WHAT CURBSIDE RECYCLING DOES IS PROVIDE THE, THE, UM, CONVENIENCE.
THE, UM, DRS PROVIDES INCENTIVE TO PICK THE LITTER UP OFF THE GROUND.
ALSO, IT GETS US MORE MATERIAL.
UM, ABBY CAYMAN COUNCIL PERSON MEMBER CAME AND HAS SAID THIS, WE ARE THROWING AWAY, AND ON THIS PAGE IT TELLS YOU HOW MUCH TEXANS ARE THROWING AWAY IN THE LANDFILLS.
SO IF WE GOT THE MATERIAL OUT AND THE, WE HAVE IT TO GIVE TO THE PRODUCERS, THE PRODUCERS ARE THE ALUMINUM PEOPLE WHO MAKE THE CANS, THE WATER BOTTLES.
AND ON THAT COCA-COLA BOTTLE IT SAYS A HUNDRED PERCENT RECYCLED OR RECYCLED PRODUCT.
THE ONLY WAY IT'S RECYCLED IS THE PRODUCERS IN TEXAS ARE BUYING PLASTIC FROM THE OTHER 10 STATES OR FROM OVERSEAS MALAYSIA, ALUMINUM FROM RUSSIA.
WE DON'T NEED TO BE DOING THAT 'CAUSE WE'RE THROWING IT AWAY.
AND IF WE GET IT BEFORE IT GOES IN OUR LANDFILL, WE'RE GONNA EXTEND THE LIFE OF OUR LANDFILL.
SO THIS PAIRS NICELY AND WE HOPE THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON WILL SUPPORT US IN 2027.
WELL, WE WITH OUR BILL, HE'S BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR OVER 25 YEARS, GOING TO AUSTIN.
AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME OUR BILL WAS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED ON A YES VOTE OUT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS COMMITTEE.
SO WE'RE GONNA KEEP GOING AND WE'D LOVE TO SIT DOWN WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
AND I KNOW SEVERAL OF US WILL TAKE YOU UP ON THAT.
UM, I CANNOT TELL YOU, YOU GUYS HAVE MADE SUCH A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
WE'VE ALL PARTICIPATED IN THESE CLEANUPS ON THE BAYOU MM-HMM
OR ALONG THE TRAILS ON THE BAYOU.
IT IS HOW EVERYTHING THAT PEOPLE THROW ON THE GROUND OR FALL OUT OF A TRASH CAN COMES RIGHT DOWN TO OUR WATERWAYS.
YOU MADE THAT BOAT THAT PICKS UP ALL THE TRASH.
UM, THAT'S YOUR, THAT'S YOUR BOAT.
UM, I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE TO BEAUTIFY OUR CITY.
WE ALL WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS.
I'LL CERTAINLY SCHEDULE A MEETING AND, AND, UM, JUST THANK YOU AND, AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
AND THANKS FOR SITTING THROUGH OUR LONG MEETING.
I THINK CARE SO YOU CAN MAKE CARE NICELY WITH THE CURB CURBSIDE WITH, WITH THE MULTIFAMILY MULTI RECYCLING.
WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP THINGS OUT OF THE LANDFILL AND WE'RE CERTAINLY TRYING TO KEEP THINGS OUT OF THE BAYOU.
SO, UM, APPRECI ALL YOUR WORK AND KEEP AT IT.
UM, 25 YEARS OF WORKING ON THIS
EVEN AS A CHILD AND MY GRANDKIDS KNOW, STOP THE CAR.
PLASTIC BAG OR PLASTIC BOTTLE.
IT MAKES, YOU NEVER WANNA GET A PLASTIC BAG FROM A GROCERY STORE OR A PLASTIC WATER BOTTLE EVER AGAIN ONCE YOU'VE BEEN TO SEVERAL OF THOSE CLEANUPS.
'CAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT COLLECTS UM, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
AND, AND, AND A PICTURE, YOU KNOW, IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS AS THEY SAY.
AND THESE PICTURES ARE, WE'VE ALL BEEN THERE.
WE PARTICIPATE IN THESE AND, AND JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED FIGHT AGAINST, AGAINST THIS.
AND WE, WE HAVE A LOT OF RESEARCH TOO THAT WE COULD COMPARE.
AND, AND THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC.
UH, I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE BOOKLETS I CALL IT, BUT MY BOOK OF DIRTY PICTURES.
BUT UH, BUT IT'S UH, IT'S VERY ACCURATE.
I CAN TAKE THOSE PICTURES AGAIN TODAY.
YOU GO AND CLEAN UP SOMETHING AND THEN IT'S RIGHT BACK AFTER A RAIN, WHICH YES.
SO THANK THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH.
NEXT WE WILL HERE FROM THANK COUNCIL MEMBER CAMERON.
SO MALACHI KEY WITH AIR ALLIANCE.
HOW Y'ALL DOING TODAY? DOING WELL, THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
UM, SO I WANTED TO START OFF TODAY WITH, UH, SAYING THAT I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, THE EFFICIENCY AND THE TRANSPARENCY OF THIS PROGRAM SO FAR.
UM, THANKS A LOT TO ABBY CAYMAN'S OFFICE AND TO THE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT.
THIS IS REALLY GREAT HERE AT AIR ALLIANCE, WE BELIEVE VERY, VERY STRONGLY IN, UH, EFFICIENT AND TRANSPARENT RECYCLING.
UM, SO EVERY OF Y'ALL KNOW THIS 'CAUSE I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU ONE-ON-ONE ABOUT SOME PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE FOUND TO BE, UH, LESS THAN EFFICIENT, TO SAY THE LEAST.
SO I REALLY, REALLY HOPE THAT THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT CAN GET OFF THE GROUND FOR A COUPLE
[01:35:01]
OF REASONS.UM, AS AN ORGANIZATION, WE SUPPORT IT, UH, BUT ALSO INDIVIDUALLY I SUPPORT THIS.
I'VE LIVED IN MULTIFAMILY HOUSING SINCE, UH, I'VE BEEN IN HOUSTON.
YOU'LL NOT BELIEVE WHAT PEOPLE JUST KIND OF LEAVE PILED UP WHEREVER.
UH, AND IN MORE RECENT YEARS, YOU KNOW, I, I STARTED OUT MY TIME IN HOUSTON AS UH, UH, A PUBLIC HEALTH WORKER IN A DIFFERENT CAPACITY.
I WAS AN EMERGENCY SERVICES WORKER, I WORKED IN AS A PARAMEDIC.
AND UH, THAT'S AN INDUSTRY WHERE YOU REALLY SEE THE IMPACT OF A LOT OF, UH, WASTE IN A WIDE VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
AND NOW THAT I'M GETTING TO WORK IN PUBLIC HEALTH, UH, I CAN SAY THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS, UH, SO MANY MORE IMPACTS THAN WE'RE YET SEEING.
I JUST CAME BACK FROM SPEAKING THE TEXAS PLASTIC POLLUTION SYMPOSIUM AND YOU'VE ALL SEEN PROBABLY THAT SAD PICTURE OF THE TURTLE WITH A STRAW IN ITS NOSE.
WELL, LEMME TELL Y'ALL, IT'S NOT JUST IN THE NOSE NOW IT'S IN THEIR BRAINS.
WE'RE STARTING TO SEE ISSUES WITH CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS IN, UH, ANIMALS AND THAT'S REALLY GONNA START AFFECTING DUST AT SOME POINT.
AND THAT'S THE THING IS THAT IT'S REALLY COMING BACK TO US.
WE'RE SEEING EARLY PRELIMINARY STUDIES ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF BPA AND PHTHALATES.
AND THE THING IS, IF THAT PLASTIC ISN'T MANAGED WELL NOW I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE MANAGED BETTER UPSTREAM.
I WOULD LIKE PLASTIC TO BE REDUCED IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH WE'RE CREATING.
BUT THE SECOND BEST THING WE CAN DO IS MANAGE IT BETTER NOW.
AND, UM, BEYOND THAT, THE EMISSIONS BEING PUT OUT BY THE TRUCKS HAVING TO GO FURTHER TO THESE LANDFILLS.
OBVIOUSLY WE'RE HAVING ISSUES WITH LANDFILL CAPACITY, BUT, UM, I'VE TALKED TO SOME OF Y'ALL ABOUT THE ISSUES WITH THE, THE WASTE MANAGEMENT DROP OFF SITES.
THOSE TRUCKS ARE SHIPPING PLASTIC OUT TO OTHER STATES FROM SOME OF OUR RESEARCH WE'VE FOUND THAT'S VERY EARLY RESEARCH, BUT THAT'S MORE EMISSIONS ON THE PLANET, THAT'S MORE COSTS AS WELL THE CITY.
SO THAT'S A PROGRAM THAT I ENCOURAGE BOTH FOR ITS CLIMATE FRIENDLINESS, FOR KEEPING HOUSTON GREEN AND ALSO FOR, I THINK THIS WILL BE MORE EFFICIENT IN THE LONG RUN IN TERMS OF MANAGING ALL OF THIS.
UH, LIKE MENTIONED BY THE AMAZING FOLKS SEEKING BEFORE ME, YOU KNOW, WE USED TO HAVE BOTTLE DEPOSIT SERVICES.
I DON'T REMEMBER THESE, BUT I KNOW THEY EXISTED AT SOME POINT.
UM, AND I THINK THERE ARE WAYS WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.
UH, AND YEAH, I THINK WE, WE HAVE AN ISSUE AND I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO BETTER ON AS A CITY.
AND I WOULD ALSO ENCOURAGE EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS AROUND RECYCLING.
THAT'S A LOT OF WHAT WE DO IS I DO THINK THAT IN TERMS OF YOU LOOKING AT THIS FROM A SOCIAL SCIENCE PERSPECTIVE OR A SOCIAL THEORY OF CHANGE, IT JUST TAKES A MINUTE TO GET PEOPLE CAUGHT UP IN ALL OF THIS.
I WOULD LOVE TO, WHATEVER SPORT WE CAN OFFER AS AN ORGANIZATION, WE DO WORK IN EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY AND WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK IN EDUCATING AROUND RECYCLING.
WE'D LOVE TO HELP AS WELL AS WE CAN.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, Y'ALL WILL HEAR ABOUT ME, Y'ALL WILL HEAR FROM ME AT OTHER MEETINGS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE ADOPTION OF A SOLID WASTE FEE AS WELL.
BECAUSE EVEN IF WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, PAYING FOR THE RECYCLING IN GENERAL, THE CONTAMINATION OF THE TRUCKS AND OTHER ISSUES ARE SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.
AND THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT IS DOING SOME REALLY GREAT WORK AND THEY DESERVE, UH, A PATHWAY TOWARDS BETTER FUNDING.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH MALACHI.
WE APPRECIATE YOU AND WHAT ALL AIRLINES DOES IN OUR CITY.
NEXT WE'LL HEAR FROM JACK VALINSKI.
WE'RE COMING UP ON A BUDGET SEASON, WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA SEE MORE CUTS TO SOLID WASTE.
I THINK THE DIRECTOR HAS DONE A LOT OF WORK TO TRY TO MAKE BETTER.
THE ON DEMAND HAS SEEMED TO BE A DISASTER AT THIS POINT.
IT WAS IN THE MEDIA AND THEN IT WAS SHUT DOWN.
WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
UH, MY TRASH WAS PICKED UP AT SIX 50 YESTERDAY MORNING.
BUT WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES.
THERE'S GUYS WHO DRIVE THE TRUCKS THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ON, ON THE STREETS ARE SO SMALL.
UM, WITH CARS PARKED OUT THERE, THAT'S ALL GREAT, BUT STILL, WE JUST CAN'T GET IT ALL DONE WITHOUT THE RESOURCES.
AND HOW MUCH MORE CAN YOU SQUEEZE? AND I'M STILL GUESSING YOU NEVER SAW THE REPORT THAT THE MAYOR DID, UH, FROM THE, FROM THE, UH, ABOUT TRASH.
WE NEED TO REALLY GET IT DONE.
AND I'M AFRAID OF WHAT ELSE WE'RE GONNA BE HAVING CUT LIBRARIES, PARKS.
UM, WE JUST CAN'T SURVIVE WITHOUT HAVING MORE REVENUE IN THIS CITY.
I KNOW IF YOU'VE ALL TRIED, YOU'VE ALL TRIED, BUT WE'RE JUST NOT THERE.
AND, AND WE HAVE SOME REALLY, REALLY HARDWORKING PEOPLE IN THIS CITY, BUT THEY ONLY CAN DO SO MUCH.
NEXT WE, WE WILL HEAR FROM BILL KELLY.
[01:40:01]
THE FLOOR IS YOURS, COUNCIL MEMBER.UH, MY NAME IS BILL KELLY REPRESENTING ENVIRONMENT TEXAS.
WE SUPPORT THE PILOT PROGRAM ON MULTIFAMILY RECYCLING AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS EXPANDED.
CITYWIDE HOUSTON HAS ONE OF THE LOWEST DIVERSION RATES FOR RECYCLING IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.
IN THE LAST BUDGET CYCLE, THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT PROJECTED THAT HOUSTON WOULD DIVERT 18% IN FY 2026 UP SLIGHTLY FROM THE 16% IN FY 2025.
THAT IS RIGHT AT HALF OF THE NATIONAL AVERAGE AT 35%.
EXPANDING RECYCLING TO MULTIFAMILY PROPERTIES WILL HELP US REDUCE THE HUGE AMOUNT OF WASTE GOING TO LANDFILLS AND WILL GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR HOUSTONIANS TO RECYCLE AS OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LUKE METZKER TESTIFIED BACK IN JUNE OF 2021 IN SUPPORTING THIS PILOT PROGRAM.
THE CITIES OF AUSTIN, SAN ANTONIO, DALLAS, AND FORT WORTH ALL ALREADY DO THIS.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? EACH OF THESE CITIES HAS A DEDICATED SOLID WASTE FEE THAT HELPS THEM SUPPORT EXPANDED SERVICES.
SAN ANTONIO, DESPITE HAVING JUST OVER 360,000 HOMES COMPARED TO HOUSTON'S, ALMOST 400,000, GENERATES 127 MILLION A YEAR IN A SOLID WASTE FEE THAT IS $20 MILLION MORE THAN THE ENTIRE HOUSTON SOLID WASTE BUDGET.
UH, AND IT'S AND DALLAS SMALLER THAN BOTH GENERATES 165 MILLION.
AUSTIN GENERATES 101 MILLION FORT WORTH, 92 MILLION.
IT IS TIME FOR HOUSTON TO JOIN THEM IN BOTH CREATING A FEE AND INCLUDING MULTIFAMILY RECYCLING.
WE APPLAUD MANY OF THE EFFORTS AND THE REFORMS OF DIRECTOR HASSAN, UH, THE WORK OF VERONICA AND MEGAN THAT THEY HAVE BEEN MAKING, INCLUDING THE PURCHASING OF MORE TRUCKS LOOKING TO INSTALL NEW TRANSFER STATIONS AND MORE PUBLIC EDUCATION.
HOWEVER, WE BELIEVE A CRITICAL WAY TO PERMANENTLY IMPROVE SERVICES IS MORE RESOURCES.
NEARLY HALF OF ALL HOUSTONIANS NOW LIVE IN MULTIFAMILY HOUSING AND THE NUMBER IS ANTICIPATED TO INCREASE FROM 1 MILLION IN 2019 TO 1.6 MILLION BY 2040 THOUSANDS OF CONSTITUENTS WANT TO RECYCLE, BUT THEIR MULTIFAMILY BUILDINGS DO NOT CURRENTLY PROVIDE THIS SERVICE.
AS WE MOVE TOWARDS A MORE SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT CITY, RECYCLING IS A BASIC NECESSITY THAT HOUSTON MUCH MUST CATCH UP ON.
WE ALSO, AGAIN REITERATE ALONG WITH A NUMBER OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE CITY IN CALLING FOR AN END FOR THE QUOTE, CHEMICAL RECYCLING PROGRAM STARTED UNDER THE PRIOR ADMINISTRATION.
CHEMICAL RECYCLING ONLY FUNCTIONS AS ANOTHER NAME FOR PLASTIC INCINERATION AND ACTUALLY GENERATES MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF TOXIC AIR POLLUTION.
FINALLY, MULTIFAMILY RECYCLING IS A BIG BENEFIT FOR OUR AIR, WATER, AND CLIMATE ULTIMATELY WILL SAVE THE CITY MONEY AND AVOID COST FROM EXPANDING LANDFILLS.
THE CITY IS QUICKLY RUNNING OUTTA SPACE IN LANDFILLS AND MUST FIND WAYS TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF WASTE WE GENERATE.
NOT ONLY IS THE COST OF NEW LANDFILLS PROHIBITIVE, THE TIMELINE TO ACTUALLY CREATE A NEW LANDFILL CAN TAKE 15 YEARS AS VERONICA CITED.
IF WE DO NOT BEGIN TO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE OUR WASTE IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO EXTEND THE LIFE OF OUR CURRENT LANDFILLS LONG ENOUGH.
AND UNTIL NEW SPACE IS REQUIRED, YOU BILL IN EXACT TIMELINE OF CRISIS.
BILL, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN HEAR THE BELL UP CYBERSPACE, BUT
AND I JUST WANNA TAKE BEFORE WE ADJOURN COLLEAGUES, JUST A BIG SHOUT OUT TO COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN.
WE WOULD NOT BE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION.
WE WOULD NOT BE TALKING ABOUT THE MULTIFAMILY RECYCLING IF SHE HAD NOT BEEN PUSHING FOR YEARS.
I MEAN, WE ALL VOTED TO SUPPORT THAT BUDGET AMENDMENT.
LIKE WHAT YEAR WAS THAT? 2021.
YOU HAVE TO DIP YOUR TOE IN THIS AND UH, YOU KNOW, GET US TO THE NEXT, TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
SO THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND FOR KEEPING YOUR EYE ON THIS BALL.
AND I'M GLAD IT'S GOING SO WELL AND LOOK FORWARD TO IT EXPANDING.
OUR NEXT BFA MEETING WILL BE TUESDAY, APRIL 28TH AT 10:00 AM THIS MEETING'S ADJOURNED.