* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:04] COUNCILMAN [5:00 P.M. - INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] POLLARD FOR THE INVOCATION. THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE. IF YOU'LL PLEASE BOW YOUR HEAD FOR A WORD OF PRAYER. LORD, THANK YOU FOR WAKING US UP TO SEE ANOTHER DAY. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US HERE SAFELY. UH, PLEASE WATCH OVER US. AS WE CONVENE THIS MEETING. PLEASE WATCH OVER OUR CITY AND ITS RESIDENTS. UH, HAVE US DO EVERYTHING IN YOUR GLORY. IN JESUS NAME I PRAY. AMEN. THANK YOU. PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR. THANK YOU, MA'AM. MR. SECRETARY, [ROLL CALL AND ADOPT MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING] YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE MAYOR MEYER. PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER BECK HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ. COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER WILL BE ABSENT. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS WILL BE ABSENT. COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTEX TATUM. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS PRESENT AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN HERE NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF MARCH 24TH AND 25TH. CASTEX T MOVE. SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. MR. CASTILLO FOR THE PROCEDURAL COUNCIL [PUBLIC SPEAKERS] MEMBER CASTILLO. THANK YOU MAYOR. I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD GLORIA FLORES DE GUDO AND JARED, DEBRA TO THE BOTTOM OF THE ONE MINUTE NON AGENDA LIST. MOTION MADE AND SECONDED. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ANYONE ELSE? NO SIR. THAT'S ALL MEMBERS. WE HAVE A VERY LONG LIST OF SPEAKERS SIGNED UP TODAY BECAUSE WE HAVE 150 MINUTES WORTH OF SPEAKERS. THE RULES REQUIRE US TO ONLY GIVE EACH GUEST ONLY ONE MINUTE, EVEN IF YOU SIGNED UP FOR MORE. SO WELCOME EVERYONE. WE HOPE YOU'LL ABIDE BY THAT RULE SO WE CAN HAVE A, UH, SUCCESSFUL EVENING. WITH THAT, UH, MS. SECRETARY, OUR FIRST SPEAKER? YES SIR. ANDREA GUERRERO. ANDREA GU GUERRERO, KATHY FLETCHER TO BE FOLLOWED BY AMER PAQUETTE, EITHER ONE. HI, UH, MY NAME IS KATHY FLETCHER AND I'M A PROUD HOUSTONIAN FROM DISTRICT C. I'M HERE TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS FOR INTRODUCING THE PROPOSAL TO IMPROVE HOW OUR POLICE INTERACT WITH ICE AND COUNCIL MEMBERS CAME IN AND POLLED FOR THEIR SUPPORT. YOUR LEADERSHIP REFLECTS WHAT HOUSTON STANDS FOR. A CITY THAT WELCOMES PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD THAT WORK HARD, ENRICH OUR CULTURE, RAISE FAMILIES, AND PUT DOWN ROOTS HERE. HOUSTON IS ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE AND DYNAMIC CITIES IN AMERICA, AND THAT IS OUR STRENGTH. BUT DUE TO MAGA AND ICE OVERREACH, ONE IN SEVEN, HOUSTONIANS NOW KNOW SOMEONE DETAINED OR DEPORTED. NEARLY 4,000 IMMIGRANT CHILDREN HAVE STOPPED COMING TO SCHOOL OUT OF FEAR, MAGA AND ICE ARE NOT ON HOUSTON'S SIDE. THEIR ACTIONS ARE DAMAGING OUR SCHOOLS, OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, AND OUR ECONOMY, AND WASTING THE TIME OF OUR OFFICERS TO SERVE THEIR POLITICAL AGENDA. THIS ORDINANCE IS COMMON SENSE. I URGE EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER TO VOTE YES AND TO KEEP PUSHING FOR EVEN STRONGER PROPOSALS SO EVERY HOUSTON FAMILY CAN LIVE HERE WITHOUT FEAR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT AMER PAQUETTE. AMER PAQUETTE, NO. HALEY ROGERS, PATRICIA CHIN TO BE FOLLOWED BY PHILIPPE DIAZ. UH, MAYOR WHITMEYER HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS PATRICIA. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY SAFETY AND WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO IS START WITH SOME SHARED VALUES OR A PROBLEM THAT WE CAN ALL AGREE UPON. HOWEVER, MY FELLOW HOUSTONIANS HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR QUITE SOME TIME WITH VERY LITTLE MOVEMENT ON THE PART OF THE COUNCIL, SO I'M GONNA TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT. MAYBE THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT YOU CARE MORE ABOUT. UM, HPD IS LICKING ICE'S BALLS. THEY'RE ACTING LIKE LAP DOGS IN SERVICE OF ICE OVER THEIR FELLOW HOUSTONIANS. SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK IS FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO PLEASE PUT [00:05:01] BACK A KEY PROVISION THAT I UNDERSTAND WAS TAKEN OUTTA SALINAS'S PROPOSITION. THIS KEY PROVISION WOULD'VE ALLOWED HP TO HAVE SOME MORE DISCRETION WHEN THEY'RE AT TRAFFIC STOPS, PARTICULARLY FOR MEMBERS WHO, UM, PARTICULARLY FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANTS. SO PUT BACK THAT KEY PROVISION. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. AND THEN ONCE THE ORIGINAL PROVISION IS BACK, OR ONCE THE ORIGINAL, UH, PROPOSITION IS BACK WHERE IT SHOULD BE, THEN I WOULD ASK THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO BRING IT FORWARD TO VOTE. AND EVERYBODY SHOULD VOTE YES, ESPECIALLY, UH, MR. CASTILLO, SINCE YOU'RE MY COUNCIL MEMBER. OKAY, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT DIAZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY KYLE ROGERS COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M ONE OF YOUR MIDTOWN CONSTITUENTS AND I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE PROP A ORDINANCE REGARDING COOPERATION BETWEEN HPD AND ICE. IT'S A GREAT FIRST STEP, HOWEVER, ALLOWING HPD TO DETAIN PEOPLE FOR MORE THAN 30 MINUTES BEYOND THEIR ORIGINAL TRAFFIC STOP WHILE THEY'RE WAITING FOR ICE TO ARRIVE IS A VIOLATION OF THE FOURTH AMENDMENT AS ESTABLISHED IN THE 2015 SUPREME COURT CASE RODRIGUEZ VUS. AND IN CASES WHERE ICE DOESN'T SHOW UP, HPD MEMBERS SHOULD NOT BE COMPELLED TO SHARE THAT PERSON'S NAME AND ADDRESS. BACK TO ICE EXECUTIVE. ICE WARRANTS ARE CIVIL MATTERS AND LIE OUTSIDE OF HPDS JURISDICTION. THERE ARE NO GROUNDS FOR THIS KIND OF COOPERATION. OUR CITY'S POLICE FORCE ARE SICKING ICE AGENTS ON COMMUNITY MEMBERS, MOST OF WHOM ARE REGULAR TAXPAYERS AND WITHOUT ANY KIND OF CRIMINAL HISTORY. THIS IS NOT MY IDEA OF SAFETY AND SOMETHING TELLS ME IT'S NOT YOURS EITHER. I URGE YOU TO CHANGE THE ORDINANCE TO REMEDY THESE POINTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR SALINAS. UH, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE SPEAKERS THAT ARE HERE. I JUST WANNA OFFER SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT WHERE THE PROPO, THE ORDINANCE STANDS TODAY. UH, SO THE TWO REMAINING PROVISIONS THAT WERE DEEMED LAWFUL HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE AGENDA, AND THEY WILL BE VOTED ON NEXT WEDNESDAY. UM, SO PLEASE KNOW OUR FOCUS IS TO TRY TO PASS THESE TWO ITEMS FIRST, AND THEN WE WILL WORK TOGETHER WITH COMMUNITY TO ADDRESS THE ADDITIONAL PROVISION THAT IS DEEMED UNLAWFUL. BUT MY HOPE IS WE CAN FOCUS ON THE, THE TWO PROVISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED, APPROVED FOR LAWFULNESS, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THE FIGHT ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANTS PIECE. BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TO SPEAK. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. THIS IS DEMOCRACY AT WORK AND IT'S AMAZING. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, KYLE. KYLE ROGERS, HADLEY HOLLINGSWORTH. IS IT? NO, ANNA STONE TO BE FOLLOWED BY CLARK FOSTER. HI, MY NAME'S AJ. I AM EIGHT YEARS OLD, SO THE PROBLEM WITH ICE IS THAT I'M SCARED TO GO OUTTA MY HOUSE. LIKE ICE IS EVERYWHERE, LIKE ALL AROUND HOUSTON, LIKE I'M SCARED. HOW DOES IT FEEL WHEN YOU GUYS ARE TRYING TO, LIKE, IF SOMEBODY IS BLACK RIGHT, AND ISIS FOLLOWING THEM LIKE THAT ALL OVER THE CITY, RIGHT? SO I'M SCARED TO GO OUT MY HOUSE ON THE STREETS BECAUSE I'M WORRIED THAT I MIGHT BE CAPTURED. I SEPARATED FROM MY FAMILY. THANK YOU. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS ANNA AND THIS IS MY SON AJ. UM, WE HAVE HAD CURRENTLY NO NEGATIVE INTERACTIONS WITH ICE OR POLICE, BUT THIS FEAR IS VERY REAL AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING I CAN JUST SAY. DON'T WORRY, POLICE ARE SAFE. WE HAVE SEEN POLICE TAKE KIDS OFF OF THIS. OR IF WE HAVE SEEN ICE TAKE POLICE TAKE KIDS AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES. IF 5-YEAR-OLD LIAM WASN'T SAFE, HOW CAN MY 8-YEAR-OLD FEEL SAFE? I URGE CITY COUNCIL TO VOTE YES ON THIS NEW ORDINANCE TO PROTECT HOUSTONIANS. WHILE MORE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE, I DO FEEL LIKE THIS IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT CLARK FOSTER TO BE FOLLOWED BY KIM OOP. HELLO, I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT D IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK, UH, AGAINST HPD AND ICE COLLABORATION. UH, HOUSTON AND ITS RESIDENTS DESERVE BETTER FROM OUR CITY GOVERNMENT. UH, WE DESERVE TO HAVE MORE TRANSPARENCY. WE DESERVE TO HAVE, UH, UM, NON-ENFORCEMENT OF ADMINIS. WE DESERVE TO HAVE AN HPD THAT IS NOT COOPERATING WITH ICE AND THAT, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANTS ARE NOT BEING USED AS GROUNDS FOR HPD TO, UH, [00:10:01] TO ARREST, DETAIN AND TRANSPORT INDIVIDUALS. UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE GREATER TRANSPARENCY FROM THE CITY NOT TO SEE, UH, FEET DRAGGED BY MEMBERS OF OUR CITY GOVERNMENT ON ADMITTING TO COOPERATION BETWEEN ICE AND HPD AS WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST, AND TO SEE A STRONGER, UH, ADVOCACY FOR PROTECTING THE FOURTH AMENDMENT IN OUR RIGHT AGAINST UNLAWFUL SEARCH AND SEIZURE AS WELL. DETENTION, UH, THE ACTIONS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL CAN TAKE, UH, ARE GREATER THAN THOSE WHICH THEY'RE, WHICH THEY HAVE TAKEN IN THE PAST. YOUR, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. NEXT, KIM. SO SOUP TO BE FOLLOWED BY DALE STORY? YES. GOOD AFTERNOON. UH, HONORABLE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS KIM SOUK AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT A AND I BELIEVE THAT THE ICE AGENTS AND HPD SHOULD COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER TO BETTER MANAGE THE SITUATION, UH, HERE IN HOUSTON, UH, AND WHAT THEY'RE WORKING, UH, TOWARDS. SO THERE SHOULD NOT BE ANY LIMITS IN COMMUNICATION. UM, AND GENERALLY SPEAKING IN THE WORKFORCE, UH, COMMUNICATION SHOULD ANYWAY PROMOTE, UH, BETTER OUTCOMES, UH, A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE HERE IN HOUSTON. AND SO I BELIEVE THAT, UH, THEY, UH, SHOULD, UH, BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT DALE STORY TO BE FOLLOWED BY YOU, A LEWIS, UH, DALE STORY, RETIRED POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR EMERITUS DISTRICT C SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE ORIGINAL SALINAS ET AL PROPOSED ORDINANCE. AND IN STRONG OPPOSITION TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S DECISION, EXCUSE ME, TO DELETE THE SECTION ON ICE ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANTS. THIS AMOUNTS TO A UNILATERAL DECISION BY AN UNELECTED OFFICIAL BEHOLDEN ONLY TO MAYOR WHITMEYER, ESSENTIALLY AN EXECUTIVE VETO PRIOR TO EVEN, PARDON ME, BEING CONSIDERED BY THE COUNCIL, WHILE DISGUISED AS A LEGAL OPINION, THIS DECISION IS A PROLONGATION OF THE FALSE AND RACIST REC RHETORIC REGARDING THIS COMMUNITY. THE LITERATURE CLEARLY SHOWS THAT UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS PROVIDE A NET POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION TO OUR ECONOMY AND THE AVERAGE LEVEL OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY FAR BELOW THAT NATIVE BORN CITIZENS UPHOLD DEMOCRATIC DECISION MAKING AND PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES. FOLLOW THE TRUTH. THANK YOU. NEXT YOU UA LEWIS TO BE FOLLOWED BY HANEY KHALIL. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. I'M A CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY HERE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, AND I'M SORRY. I'M A CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY HERE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. AND, UM, THE YOUNG MAN AJ MADE A POINT THAT IS VERY VALID AS A UNITED STATES CITIZEN. HE HAS EVERY RIGHT TO BE AFRAID OF ICE HERE IN HOUSTON AND ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES. I'M HOLDING UP A PICTURE OF KEITH PORTER JR. HE IS A FORMER HOUSTON RESIDENT. HE WILL NO LONGER EVER BE A HOUSTON RESIDENT BECAUSE OF THE ACTIONS OF ICE AND A STORY THAT WAS LIED ABOUT HIM THAT HE WAS SHOOTING WHEN HE NEVER WAS. THIS IS THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO BE AFRAID OF, AND I, I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO PASS THIS ORDINANCE. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT AS IT STANDS AND AS IT WAS PRESENTED. MAYOR WHITMEYER, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE THE LEADER ON THIS AND NOT TAKE ANYTHING OUT OF IT AND RESPECT THE LAW THAT I KNOW THAT YOU CAN AND WILL DO IN THIS ORDINANCE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT HANEY KHALIL TO BE FOLLOWED BY ELISSA CUE. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR WHITMEYER AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS MANNY KLEEL WITH THE TEXAS GULF COAST A-F-L-C-I-O. AND ON BEHALF OF OUR FEDERATION, 75 AFFILIATED UNIONS AND 60,000 UNION MEMBERS, I URGE YOU TO PASS THE REVISED IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE. LAST WEEK, OUR FEDERATION'S EXECUTIVE BOARD VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE. WE DID SO BECAUSE UNIONS BELIEVE EVERY WORKER DESERVES TO LIVE AND WORK WITHOUT FEAR, REGARDLESS OF OUR IMMIGRATION STATUS. HOUSTON'S BUILT BY WORKING PEOPLE FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS, INCLUDING IMMIGRANT WORKERS WHO ARE VITAL TO OUR ECONOMY, OUR UNIONS, OUR FAMILIES. BUT WHEN WORKERS FEAR THAT INTERACTING WITH POLICE COULD LEAD TO DEPORTATION AND HARM TO THEIR FAMILIES, THEY'RE LESS LIKELY TO REPORT CRIMES, TAKE THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL, SPEAK UP ABOUT UNSAFE CONDITIONS ON THE JOB, OR EVEN REPORT TO WORK, MAKING ALL OF US LESS SAFE IN THE ECONOMY, MORE VULNERABLE. DALLAS, AUSTIN BEAR COUNTY HAVE ALREADY PASSED SIMILAR ORDINANCES. WE BELIEVE THAT DELETED OFFICER, UH, OFFICER DISCRETION PROVISION IS LAWFUL AND WE'LL CONTINUE ADVOCATING FOR THAT. BUT IN [00:15:01] THE MEANTIME, THE CITY OF HOUSTON SHOULD TAKE MEANINGFUL ACTION TODAY TO PROTECT IMMIGRANT FAMILIES BY PASSING THIS IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. YOU, YOU, UH, COUNCILMAN KAMAN? NO, REALLY? HANEY? I THINK YOU ANSWERED IT BECAUSE YOU SAID THAT THE THE BODY. FIRST OFF, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THE VOICES OF OUR, OUR WORKING FAMILIES. UH, YOU HAD SAID THAT THE BODY HAD VOTED IN FAVOR OF THE PROPOSITION THAT WAS PRIOR TO THE, THE LEGAL RULING BY THE CITY LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO REMOVE A SECTION JUST FOR THE RECORD, Y'ALL WOULD SUPPORT IT AS A WHOLE AS WELL. IS THAT CORRECT? ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. YEAH. WE WANT, WE WANT TO LOOK, WE'RE, THE LABOR MOVEMENT IS VERY PRACTICAL. WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE PROGRESS MADE WHEN PROGRESS IS ON THE TABLE, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR WHAT WE THINK IS LAWFUL. OTHER CITIES HAVE PASSED THIS, WE THINK IT, THAT OTHER PROVISION SHOULD BE ADDED BACK AND WE'LL SUPPORT IT THEN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT ELISSA CUE TO BE FOLLOWED BY TAANA PR. HI, I'M ELISSA CUE, RESIDENT OF DISTRICT D. UM, I'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH A LOT OF VERY DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS ABOUT POLICE AND ICE AND IMMIGRATION IN HOUSTON. AND ONE THING I'VE NOTICED ACROSS THE BOARD, NO MATTER WHO YOU'RE TALKING TO, PEOPLE ARE VERY QUICK TO IDENTIFY A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP THAT THEY HAVE TO AN IMMIGRANT IN THEIR LIVES. UH, IT'S LIKE THEY CAN'T HELP IT ACTUALLY. UM, AND I THINK THAT THIS IS BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE THIS, WHEN YOU LIVE IN HOUSTON, YOU KNOW THAT EVERY SINGLE DAY OF YOUR LIFE AN IMMIGRANT DOES SOMETHING TO MAKE YOUR LIFE A LITTLE BIT BETTER. IT'S AN UNAVOIDABLE REALITY HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER, THE LAST MONTH WHEN WE WERE HERE, I HEARD YOU SAY THAT THE CONVERSATION WE WERE HAVING THAT DAY WAS NOT REALLY ABOUT IMMIGRATION. AND IF THAT'S TRUE, I HOPE THAT IT CAN BE A CONVERSATION INSTEAD ABOUT SEEING EVERY PERSON AS A HUMAN BEING FIRST AND EVERYTHING ELSE. SECOND, I'VE HEARD YOU ADVOCATE FOR POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY. A LOT OF YOU ADVOCATE FOR POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY AND PUBLIC SAFETY, AND I BELIEVE THAT I, I WANNA BELIEVE THAT I WANNA LIVE IN THAT WORLD. I'LL, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. I'LL FINISH UP. UM, THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO LIVE IN THAT WORLD. THANK YOU. BUT THE WAY THINGS ARE NOW, WE ARE WEAKENING POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY TO HOUSTONIANS BY MAKING POLICE ACCOUNTABLE TO FEDERAL IMMIGRATION, TANA PR. SO PLEASE PASS THE ORDINANCE AND I HOPE YOU HAVE A SERIOUS CONVERSATION ABOUT TAKING HPD OFF OF NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND HAVE A NICE DAY. GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS. I AM TANA PAR OF ONE OF THE CO-FOUNDERS OF POSITIVE WOMEN'S NETWORK, TEXAS STRIKE FORCE. SO AS A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN, IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT, BUT ALSO AS A BLACK WOMAN LIVING WITH HIV, THAT THESE POLICIES THAT SHOULD BE DESIGNED SO ALL MOTORISTS BENEFIT FROM A CLEARER RULES, SAFER ENFORCEMENT PRACTICES AND FEWER UNNECESSARY POLICIES INTERACTION. BUT WHAT I'M SAYING TO TODAY IS, AS SOMEONE WHO IS 65 YEARS OLD, WHO PRIDE HERSELF LIVING IN HOUSTON, THAT WE NEED TO HAVE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT BENEFIT ALL OF HOUSTON, NOT JUST PARTS OF HOUSTON WHEN IT COMES TO IMMIGRATION, WHEN IT COMES TO PEOPLE'S HEALTHCARE, WHEN IT COMES TO THE RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE GREW UP AND BEEN A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY FOR A LIFETIME. DESERVE TO HAVE THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED AS HOUSTONIANS, BUT ALSO AS HUMAN BEINGS. SO PLEASE CONSIDER THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT ARE BENEFICIAL TO YOU. YOUR, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. GLORIA. GLORIA FLORES. DIG GUDO. SHE MOVED. JARED, DO BRANICK. HE'S IN THE OVERFLOW ROOM. OKAY, SIR. TONY CURRY. HOLD ON. IF THEY'RE IN THE OVERFLOW ROOM, HOW DOES THAT WORK? ARE WE GONNA WAIT FOR THEM TO WALK OVER? I THINK GO AHEAD AND INTERVIEW BACK. OKAY. THEY'LL, WE'LL COME BACK AROUND. OKAY. SIRONI CURRY, SIRONI CURRY, ROBERT STUBBLEFIELD [00:20:04] TO BE FOLLOWED BY IAN EK. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS BOB STUBBLEFIELD. I'M COORDINATOR OF THE JUSTICE MINISTRY AT RESURRECTION METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH OVER IN TIMBER GROVE MANOR. UM, WE'RE HERE REPRESENTING BOTH MY CONGREGATION AND TEXAS IMPACTS, UH, HOUSTON FAITH VOTES IN SUPPORT OF COUNCIL MEMBERS SALINAS'S PROPOSED ORDINANCE CLARIFYING THE LAW REGARDING WHEN HBD IS REQUIRED TO CONTACT ICE OFFICERS. I'M ASKING THAT THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE BE IMPLEMENTED TO LIMIT HPD OFFICERS INVOLVEMENT IN IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT DURING TRAFFIC STOPS. UH, SPECIFICALLY ENCOUNTERS INVOLVING INDIVIDUALS WITH ADMINISTRATIVE IMMIGRATION CIVIL WARRANTS THAT ARE NOT SIGNED BY A JUDGE OR A MAGISTRATE. UNDER THE CURRENT POLICY, THERE IS DANGER OF RACIAL PROFILING AND PRETEXT ABUSE WHEREBY SOME OFFICERS COULD USE SEEMINGLY MINOR TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS LIKE A CRACKED WINDSHIELD AS A PRETEXT TO STOP A VEHICLE AND ESCALATE A ROUTINE TRAFFIC STOP INTO AN IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT ENCOUNTER. YOUR TIME, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT, IAN HICK TO BE FOLLOWED BY SARAH HIRSCH. GOOD EVENING COUNSEL. I GREW UP IN HOUSTON'S EAST END IN DISTRICT. I, WHEN I ATTENDED LAND TRIP ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, I WAS ONE OF THE FEW WHITE CHILDREN IN CLASS, BUT I DIDN'T REALIZE IT BECAUSE THEY WERE JUST MY FRIENDS AND THAT WAS JUST MY COMMUNITY. BUT NOW THAT I'M OLDER, I REALIZE THAT MY SKIN COLOR IS A PRIVILEGE AND IT IS UNDESERVED. SO I WANT TO USE IT TO PROTECT THE OTHER MEMBERS OF MY COMMUNITY WHO DON'T HAVE THAT PRIVILEGE ACROSS HOUSTON, ESPECIALLY IN DISTRICT I MANY OUR IMMIGRANTS OR HAVE IMMIGRANT RELATIVES, THEY'RE SCARED. THEY DON'T TRUST HPD AND SO THEY DON'T CALL AND THEY DON'T TALK TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS BECAUSE TO THEM, YOU'RE PART OF THE SYSTEM. FAIR OR NOT, AMERICA HAS PLAYED A NASTY BAIT AND SWITCH FOR DECADES. WE LOVE CHEAP IMMIGRANT LABOR AND THE FOOD AND GOODS THEY PROVIDE. SO WE RECRUIT THEM. WE LOOK THE OTHER WAY UNTIL WE NEED A SCAPEGOAT THAT WE CAST THEM AS VILLAINS AND CRIMINALS, EVEN THOSE TRYING TO NAVIGATE OUR BYZANTINE IMMIGRATION SYSTEM. I ASK YOU TO SUPPORT THE ORDINANCE FROM SALINAS CAYMAN IMP POLLARD, THAT WOULD DEFINE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ICE AND HPD. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. SARAH HIRSCH TO BE FOLLOWED BY AMANDA MORENO. HELLO, EVERYONE. UH, MY NAME IS SARAH HIRSCH. I AM A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT. I, UH, I AM ALSO A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER, WHICH MAKES ME A CIVIL SERVANT. AND I UNDERSTAND HOW PRECIOUS TUESDAY NIGHT, EVENING TIME IS. SO, UH, THAT'S WHY I'M OUT HERE. UH, IT'S WORTH IT TO ME TO COME SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE SALINAS CAYMAN POLLARD ICE AND HBD ORDINANCE. I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE IT IF YOU ALL VOTED FOR IT. THANK YOU. NEXT, COUNCILMAN POLLARD HAS A PROCEDURAL MOTION COUNCIL. THANK YOU MAYOR. COUNCIL POLLARD. YEAH, THANK YOU MAYOR. I'D LIKE TO, UM, MAKE A MOTION TO ADD, UH, CAESAR ESPINOSA TO THE END OF THE ORIGINAL THREE MINUTE AGENDA LIST. MOTION MADE AND SECONDED. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAME. MOTION BACK. COUNCILMAN SALINAS. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADD THAT DI GUTIERREZ TO THE END OF THE ONE MINUTE LIST. OKAY. MOTION MADE AND SECONDED. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED A MOTION PASSES. OKAY. AM I, AM I GOOD? OKAY. UH, FELLOW HOUSTONIANS AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, FIRST, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. I STAND HERE TODAY TO OPPOSE PROPOSITION A AS IT WOULD LIMIT OUR, UH, HPDS COOPERATION WITH FEDERAL AND IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES. OUR ELECTED LEADERS WERE CHOSEN BY US CITIZENS, NOT BY PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE UNLAWFULLY, WHO MUST WORK WITH OUR STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS, NOT AGAINST THEM TO ENFORCE THE LAW AND ENSURE AMERICAN PROSPERITY CATERING TO THOSE WHO ARE HERE UNLAWFULLY IS NOT COMPASSIONATE. IT'S RECKLESS. IT DRIVES UP THE TAX BURDEN. AND HARDWORKING HOUSTON FAMILIES WHO ALREADY PAY FOR EMERGENCY ROOMS, HOSPITALS, SCHOOLS, AND PUBLIC SERVICES STRAINED BY THOSE WHO ENTER OUR COUNTRY UNLAWFULLY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. HOUSTON DESERVES LEADERS WHO PUT AMERICAN CITIZENS FIRST REJECT THIS PROPOSAL, STOP CODDLING NON CITIZENS OF THE EXPENSE OF TAX PAYERS DEMAND FULL COOPERATION WITH ICE AND FEDERAL LAW. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, . THANK YOU. PLEASE. AMANDA MORENO. OH, THAT WAS AMANDA NICOLE HUGHES. [00:25:06] OH, I'M SORRY. NICHOLAS HUGHES SMERALDA LEDESMA TO BE FOLLOWED BY LETTY ORTEGA TEGO. GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS ESMERALDA LEDESMA AND I'M WITH URI JUNTOS ADVOCATING FOR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES ACROSS HOUSTON. AND I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT C IN THE MUSEUM DISTRICT AS A HOUSTONIAN DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY IMMIGRATION POLICY. I WAS EAGER TO LEARN ABOUT COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS'S ORDINANCE EMPOWERING HPD TO NOT DO ICE'S DIRTY WORK FOR THEM. AS WE ALL KNOW, HOUSTON IS A CITY THAT THRIVES FROM DIVERSITY. AND TO HAVE AN ORDINANCE LIKE THIS PRESENTED FOR THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF HOUSTONIANS THAT ARE IMMIGRANTS WHO CALL THE CITY HOME WAS LONG OVERDUE. THIS MOMENT OF JOY WAS SHORT-LIVED WHEN I LEARNED ABOUT THE CITY ATTORNEY'S CUT THE SINGLE MOST IMPACTFUL PIECE OF THE ORDINANCE WITHOUT THE SECTION REGARDING HPD, NOT CALLING ICE ON ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANTS. THE PROTECTION FOR OUR COMMUNITIES IS ONLY THE VERY BEGINNING OF WHAT HOUSTONIANS NEED TODAY I CALL UPON YOU THE COUNCIL MEMBERS OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE CITY ATTORNEY TO STAND UP FOR ALL HOUSTONIANS REGARDLESS OF STATUS TO ENSURE NO ONE HAS TO LIVE IN FEAR ACROSS HOUSTON. FATHERS FEAR BEING PULLED OVER ON THEIR WAY TO WORK. MOTHERS THINK TWICE BEFORE GOING TO THE GROCERY STORE AND CHILDREN BITE THEIR NAILS FEARING. OH, THANK YOU. YOUR, YOUR TIME. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED, MS. TO STAND. SOME HAVE SHOWN UP THAT WE CALLED THEIR NAME. YES SIR. YOU WANNA RE CALL THEIR NAME? COP? DID WE SPEAK? NO, CALL HER, MA'AM. YOU GO AHEAD. WE CALLED HER AFTER HER. LET'S PLAY CATCH UP. AND THOSE THAT MISSED THE CALL. YES, YES. GO AHEAD MA'AM. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS LETTI ORTEGA. I'M A HOUSTONIAN AND ORGANIZER AT MI FAMI ION. WE WORK WITH COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTY, INCLUDING YOUTH AND MIXED STATUS FAMILIES. WE BELIEVE THAT WHEN EVERY COMMUNITY VOICE IS INCLUDED, WE CAN CREATE SOLUTIONS THAT HELP EVERY FAMILY THRIVE. WE DON'T HAVE SAFER OR HAPPIER COMMUNITIES WHEN PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO CALL FOR HELP WHEN THEY'RE BEING HURT, NEED AN AMBULANCE WHEN THEY'RE SICK, OR TO SIMPLY BE OUTSIDE IN THEIR COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN OR IF THEY WILL BE TREATED FAIRLY. COLLABORATION WITH ICE DOES NOT BRING SAFETY TO HOUSTON COMMUNITIES. IT PUTS THE FREEDOMS AND RIGHTS OF EVERYONE AT RISK AND CREATES FEAR, DISTRUST, AND CONFUSION IN OUR CITY. WE ALL WANT FAMILIES IN HOUSTON TO THRIVE AND LIVE IN SAFETY, NOT FEAR. ENDING COLLABORATION WITH ICE ON ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANTS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY TO RESTORE TRUST SO FAMILIES IN HOUSTON CAN FEEL SAFE WHEN THEY ENCOUNTER HPD OR FACE ANY EMERGENCY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. NEXT, HALEY ROGERS. THANK YOU. HALEY ROGERS TO BE FOLLOWED BY KYLE ROGERS. HELLO, MY NAME IS HAILEY ROGERS. I'M AN ORGANIZER WITH HOUSTON LEADS AND DSA. UM, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, I'M A LIFELONG HOUSTONIAN OF THIS CITY. UM, AND I CARE FOR THE CITY DEEPLY, EVEN THOUGH HALF MY FAMILY HAS URGED ME TO LEAVE THE CITY. AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHILE THIS ORDINANCE IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TOWARDS, TOWARDS HARM REDUCTION FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES, IT IS NOT ENOUGH TAKING OUT THE KEY PROVISION IN PROP A THAT ALLOWS HPD DISCRETION TO CALL ICE WHEN AN ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANT IS FOUND IN THE NCIC DATABASE IS NOT WHAT THE CITY WANTS, NEEDS, OR DEMANDS. I URGE THE COUNCIL TO REINSTATE THIS PROVISION IN THE FORM OF AN ADDENDUM. EVERY DAY WE HEAR ABOUT HORRIBLE CONDITIONS, DETAINEES, ESPECIALLY WOMEN AND CHILDREN ARE FACING WITHIN THE DE UH, DETENTION CENTERS IN THIS STATE. I'D ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THAT AUSTIN AND DALLAS HAVE ALSO, UM, PASSED SIMILAR PROVISIONS WITH THE SAME LANGUAGE. AND GREG ABBOTT HAS NOT WITHDRAWN FUNDING FROM THESE CITIES EITHER. THANK YOU KYLE ROGERS TO BE FOLLOWED BY GLORIA FLORES. DEDO. GUDO. HELLO, COUNSEL. UM, MY NAME'S KYLE ROGERS. I'M A A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT. I, UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY BASICALLY ON POLICY AND PROCESS, UH, TO ME IT SEEMS LIKE, UH, REQUIRING POLICE OFFICERS TO DO, UH, REPORTS TO ICE, UM, OVER THE MINIMUM REQUIRED STOP TIME IS OPENING UP THE CITY TO JUST LAWSUIT AFTER LAWSUIT BASED ON FOURTH AMENDMENT GROUNDS. AND I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU NOT DO THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GLORIA FLORES DI DE GUDO [00:30:04] TO BE FOLLOWED BY RUTH HOFFMAN LOCKE. UM, FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE MYSELF. MY NAME IS CARMEN MAYORGA AND I'M WITH SCIU TEXAS AND I'M GONNA BE DOING THE INTERPRETATION FOR OUR MEMBER. OKAY. RE GABRIELA UZMAN. I OKAY. MY NAME IS GABRIELA AND I'M 55 YEARS OLD AND I WORK FOR GEORGIA BROWN CONVENTION CENTERS AND I ALSO HAVE OTHER COWORKERS DOWNSTAIRS. OKAY. WE, I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF OUR AIRPORT WORKERS, AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT ALSO, UH, CITY CONTRACT WORKERS AND AIRPORT WORKERS. YOU CAN MARK, UM, A SPOT IN OUR LIVES SO YOU CAN, WE, YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. WE CANNOT LIVE WITH WHAT WE ARE, UM, WHAT WE ARE, UH, GETTING PAID. A LOT OF US HAVE TWO JOBS. I WORK FROM SIX IN THE MORNING, SIX 30 IN THE MORNING TO 2:00 PM AND THEN I WORK FROM 11:11 PM TO THREE IN THE MORNING AND SOMETIMES TO FOUR IN THE MORNING. AND I WAKE UP AT SIX 30 IN THE MORNING. AMERICAN HOUSTON, JUST RECENTLY THE HILTON AMERICA RECEIVE A PAY INCREASES, WHICH WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED A PAY INCREASE. WE'RE NOT ASKING NOTHING IRRATIONAL. WE'RE ASKING FOR JUSTICE AND DIGNITY FOR US. TIME HAS EXPIRED. PLEASE DON'T LEAVE US BEHIND. THANK YOU. THANK YOU CAYMAN MAYOR, I JUST WANTED TO SAY TO OUR SPEAKERS, BUT ALSO TO ALL OF OUR, OUR LABOR, UM, 'CAUSE I THINK SHE MENTIONED THAT THERE ARE WORKERS DOWNSTAIRS, UM, THAT ARE LISTENING RIGHT NOW TO THANK THEM FOR COMING AS WELL BECAUSE THEY WORK EXTREMELY LONG HOURS, UM, UNDER VERY DIFFICULT CONDITIONS. AND THE FACT THAT THEY SHOWED UP HERE, UM, NOT ONLY TO SPEAK BUT TO SHOW, UH, THEIR SUPPORT BY SHOWING UP REALLY MEANS A LOT, A LOT. SO I JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF WORKERS IN THE BUILDING THAT MAY NOT BE SPEAKING TONIGHT AS WELL. THANK YOU. RUTH. RUTH HOFF, RUTH HOFFMAN, LOCK. COLIN BO. COLIN BO, ARE YOU? GOOD AFTERNOON ON THE REVEREND DR. COLIN BOSON, SENIOR MINISTER OF THE FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF HOUSTON, SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE AS PROPOSED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS SALINAS CAYMAN AND POLLARD, INCLUDING ALL THREE PROVISIONS. OUR CONGREGATION WAS FOUNDED IN 1914 AND HAS BEEN A VOICE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE IN HOUSTON FOR OVER A CENTURY. THE VALUES THAT HAVE GUIDED US AND OUR WORK FOR CIVIL RIGHTS, GENDER EQUITY, AND L-B-G-T-Q RIGHTS ARE THE SAME THAT BRING ME HERE TODAY TO SPEAK FOR IMMIGRANT RIGHTS. NAMELY, THE BELIEF THAT ALL PERSONS HAVE INHERENT WORTHINESS AND DIGNITY, AND THAT ALL ARE DESERVING OF LOVE, RESPECT, AND EQUALITY UNDER THE LAW. PLEASE WORK TO ENACT THE FULL ORDINANCE TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS INDIGNITIES OF ALL HOUSTONIANS. THANK YOU, AMY. AMY CARL ROY HIRSCH TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALEXANDRIA O'NEILL, MAYOR WHITMEYER, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. I'M ROY HIRSCH. I LIVE IN DISTRICT. I AND I JOIN MY FELT LIKE-MINDED HOUSTONIANS, UH, AND COMPLETELY SUPPORT THE ADOPTION OF THE ORDINANCE, UH, ON THE, ON THIS ORDINANCE, ON THE GROUNDS [00:35:01] THAT PUBLIC MONIES SHOULD NOT BE SPENT FOR HPD TO ENGAGE IN CHAPERONE OBLIGATIONS TO ICE RELATED TO ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANTS WHICH ARE CIVIL IN NATURE, AND NOT REVIEWED BY A JUDGE. AUSTIN, DALLAS AND SAN ANTONIO HAVE ADOPTED SIMILAR MEASURES. I SIMPLY ASK THE COUNSEL TO PLEASE PASS THIS ORDINANCE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, YOU ALEXANDRA ALEXANDRIA O'NEILL, TIMOTHY TAFT TO BE FOLLOWED BY STEPHANIE WILKINS, HONOR THE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS TIMOTHY TAFT. I LIVE IN DISTRICT FI SEE MY COUNSEL PERSON'S NOT HERE AND HAVE RESIDED IN HOUSTON SINCE 1968, EXCEPT FOR TWO YEARS IN THE ARMY, INCLUDING A TOUR IN VIETNAM. I SERVED AS A HARRIS COUNTY PROSECUTOR FOR 16 YEARS IN A JUSTICE ON THE FIRST COURT OF APPEALS HERE IN HOUSTON FOR 14 AND A HALF YEARS. I ALSO SERVED SEVEN YEARS IN THE TEXAS AIRBORNE NATIONAL GUARD AND MANY YEARS AS DEACON AND TREASURE PINE VALLEY BIBLE CHURCH, MY WIFE, WHO IS A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN, AND I CONTINUE OUR 20 YEARS OF SERVICE TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AS CITIZENS ON PATROL. I HAVE COME TO SPEAK AGAINST THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE THAT WOULD PLACE THE CONCERNS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ABOVE THE SAFETY OF ALL HOUSTON RESIDENTS, INCLUDING BOTH LEGAL AND ILLEGAL. ICE IS SIMPLY CARRYING OUT IMMIGRATION LAW THAT WAS NOT ONLY NOT EXECUTED DURING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, BUT IMMIGRATION LAW WAS FLAGRANTLY VIOLATED MILLIONS OF TIMES. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. I THOUGHT YOU HAD TWO MINUTES. COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER, COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER. I THOUGHT POINT OF ORDER. I THOUGHT I HAD TWO MINUTES. SORRY. IT'S MAYOR. POINT OF ORDER. MAY I MAKE POINT OF ORDER? I KNOW THAT TEMPS ARE HIGH RIGHT NOW, AND I KNOW EVERYONE IS EXTREMELY PASSIONATE, BUT WE CAN'T HEAR WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING WHEN SOMEONE'S TALKING AND WHETHER WE AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THEM. CAN WE PLEASE AFFORD THEM THE SAME RESPECT? IS EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE CHAMBER PLEASE? COUNCIL MEMBER. I THOUGHT I HAD TWO MINUTES. COUNCILMAN CARTER? JUST ONE. I'M ON A TWO MINUTE LIST. JUST EVERYBODY GETS ONE, ONE MINUTE, SIR. OH, OKAY. COULD I, UH, SUBMIT COPIES OF NO, WE'RE WE'RE GOING BY STRICT ENFORCEMENT. YES, YOU CAN. COULD I, I HAVE COPIES FOR THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL. YEAH, YOU CAN HAND COUNCIL MEMBERS. CAN I GET THEM COPIES OF THAT GENTLEMAN RIGHT THERE? OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I'M GONNA PUT THEM OUT THERE. STEPHANIE WILKINS, JOY DAVIS, CARLA WEST. HMM. SOMEBODY SIGNED ALL THESE PEOPLE UP. ARE YOU CARLA? HELLO. DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF OUR COUNCIL AGAIN. HELLO, DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF OUR COUNCIL. UM, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND I WANT TO REMIND YOU OF TWO THINGS THAT ARE REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME. THIS IS HOLY WEEK. IN HOLY WEEK, WE RECOGNIZE, UH, EVEN THOUGH THIS SHOULD NOT BE POLITICAL, IT SHOULD NOT BE RELIGIOUS INSIDE THESE CHAMBERS. IT IS, BUT WE ARE HERE TO RECOGNIZE THE DEATH OF WHO I CONSIDER MY LORD AND SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, WHO WAS AN IMMIGRANT. BUT ONE IMPORTANT THING ABOUT HIM IS TO REMEMBER THAT ALTHOUGH HE WAS JEWISH, ALTHOUGH HE LIVED IN A CERTAIN PLACE, HE DIED FOR US ALL. SO LET US HONOR ALL PEOPLE. SO IN TRAFFIC STOPS CERTAIN PEOPLE THAT LOOK A CERTAIN WAY SHOULDN'T BE TARGETED. THEY SHOULDN'T BE AFRAID BECAUSE TRAFFIC STOPS AND OUR POLICE IS HERE TO PROTECT US ALL. SO LET'S PROTECT US. ALL. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED US ALL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU URSULA. SURREAL FROM FRESNO TO BE FOLLOWED BY JARED, DO BRANICK. OKAY. GOOD EVENING. UH, FIRST OF ALL, MY LAST NAME WAS MISSPELLED. IT'S URS AERIAL, SPELLED S-E-R-E-A-L. FOR THE CORRECTION, PLEASE. [00:40:01] UH, GOOD AFTERNOON. UM, I AM SPEAKING TODAY ON TRAFFIC STOPS. I HOPE MY WORDS ARE HURT OR REALLY HURT THIS EVENING. OKAY. UM, THE, UM, REGARDING THE FAIR TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENTS, YOU KNOW, WE HOPE THAT TO ENSURE THE SAFETY AND FAIRNESS AND TRAP STOPS IS FOR EVERYBODY, REGARDLESS OF THEIR RACE OR THEIR IMMIGRATION STATUS. UM, I HOPE THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, ENDORSE MEASURES THAT MAXIMIZE RELIEF FOR THE DRIVERS AND BUILD PUBLIC TRUST IN EVERYBODY'S COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY. UM, MANY IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, THE BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS WE SHARE AND WE WORRY ABOUT THE ESCALATION OF TRAFFIC STOPS. UM, I'VE HAD THAT EXPERIENCE. THE TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. NEXT JARED, DEBRA TO BE FOLLOWED BY MONIQUE JACKSON FROM AMBLE. MY NAME IS JARED. I WAS BORN AND RAISED RIGHT HERE IN HOUSTON. I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE I DEEPLY CARE ABOUT THE DIRECTION OUR CITY IS TAKING REGARDING THE SAFETY AND RIGHTS OF ALL OUR NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS. THE ORDINANCE IS AN IMPORTANT STEP, BUT AS IT STANDS, IT SIMPLY DOESN'T GO FAR ENOUGH TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY. HOUSTON DESERVES POLICIES THAT PROVIDE FULL PROTECTION, NOT HALF MEASURES THAT LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN FOR OVERREACH. IF MAJOR CITIES LIKE DALLAS AND AUSTIN, UM, ALREADY HAVE IMPLEMENTED POLICIES THAT PROVIDE SAFETY FOR OVER ICE, THERE'S NO REASON WHY HOUSTON CANNOT DO THE SAME. EVERY HOUSTONIAN DESERVES TO FEEL SAFE IN THEIR CITY. URGE THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO VOTE YES FOR THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE. THANK YOU, MONIQUE. MONIQUE JACKSON, QUINN D DINA TO BE FOLLOWED BY CHRISTINE VO. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS QUINN FERENA AND I'M A, UH, RESIDENT OF DISTRICT H. UM, SO FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'D LIKE TO TAKE, HAVE YOU TAKE A MOMENT AND JUST THINK AND REMEMBER WHY YOU GOT INTO PUBLIC SERVICE. I WOULD LIKE TO THINK, OR I TRULY HOPE THAT YOU TOLD YOURSELF THAT YOU WOULD MAKE HARD DECISIONS IN TOUGH TIMES. THAT YOU WOULD CHOOSE TO FIGHT FOR WHAT IS RIGHT IN THE FACE OF PRESSURE. FROM THOSE THAT HAVE MAY, MAY HAVE MORE POWER THAN YOURSELVES, BE IT THE MAYOR, THE GOVERNOR, OR EVEN THE PRESIDENT. NOW IS THE TIME TO MAKE GOOD ON THAT PROMISE TO YOURSELF AND TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS. THAT MOMENT IS HERE. IF YOU'RE NOT WILLING TO TAKE A STAND FOR THE COMMUNITY, WE WILL FIND OTHERS WHO WILL DO SO. THERE ARE INNUMERABLE, TALENTED, PASSIONATE, COMPETENT HOUSTONIANS THAT ARE READY TO TAKE THE MANTLE. THEY'RE IN THIS ROOM, THEY'RE IN YOUR DISTRICTS, AND THEY'RE IN THE CITY, AND THEY'RE READY TO TAKE ON THE CHALLENGE OF RESISTING AUTHORITARIANISM. IF YOU ARE TOO AFRAID TO STAND UP TO FASCISM, IF YOU ARE TOO BEHOLDEN TO YOUR DONORS OR TOO CORRUPTED, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED BY SPECIAL INTEREST. THIS JOB IS NOT FOR YOU. PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING AND VOTE IN SUPPORT OF THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE. THANK YOU CHRIS. CHRISTINE VO TO BE FOLLOWED BY SYLVESTER DENBERG. UM, GOOD EVENING CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS CHRISTINE VO AND I'M A RESIDENT IN DISTRICT A IN SPRING BRANCH. I ORGANIZED WITH STANDUP HOUSTON, AN IMMIGRANT RIGHTS ORGANIZATION HERE IN HOUSTON. UM, I'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE AND I'M BACK AGAIN TO URGE YOU TO END THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S COOPERATION WITH ICE. UH, FOR MONTHS, ORGANIZERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE COME TO TIME AND TIME AGAIN TO BEG YOU TO ACTUALLY SERVE AND PROTECT YOUR CONSTITUENTS. EVERY SINGLE COUNCIL MEMBER HERE SHOULD BE SUPPORTING COUNCIL MEMBER SALINA'S PROPOSAL IN ITS ORIGINAL LANGUAGE, UH, NOT THE ONE THAT HAS BEEN CHANGED BY THE CITY'S LEGAL DEPARTMENT. BUT I WANNA REMIND YOU THAT WHILE THIS IS A GREAT FIRST STEP, UH, IT'S STILL NOT ENOUGH. WE ALL KNOW THAT AND YOU ALL KNOW THAT. UM, EARLIER TONIGHT WE HEARD FROM AJ A CHILD ABOUT HOW SCARED HE IS OF ICE AND I JUST WANNA ASK, WHY DOESN'T THAT MOVE YOU MORE TO DO MORE? THE ORDINANCE IN ITS ORIGINAL LANGUAGE IS A GOOD STEP. BUT DON'T YOU WANT MORE FOR YOUR CITY? DON'T YOU WANT MORE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'VE, THAT HAVE TRUSTED YOU TO PROTECT AND SERVE THEM? YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. I'M ASKING YOU TO IMAGINE A BETTER FUTURE FOR US ALL. THANK YOU. SYLVESTER DENBERG [00:45:04] TO BE FOLLOWED BY GRIFFIN WALKER. HI, UH, I'M SYLVESTER REIDENBERG AND I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT C COUNCIL MEMBER SALINA'S PROPOSAL IN ITS ORIGINAL LANGUAGE IS A CRUCIAL FIRST STEP FOR A CITY THAT DESERVES SO MUCH MORE. I WAS RECENTLY DOING OUTREACH WITH PSL AND STANDUP HOUSTON AND I SPOKE WITH SOME WORKERS AT A SMALL CLINIC IN WAYSIDE AND LEARN THAT IT AND MANY CLINICS LIKE IT ARE CLOSING BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES AND GO TO THE DOCTOR. BETWEEN THAT AND THE HORRIBLE CONDITIONS IN ICE DETENTION CENTERS, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS. THE MAYOR HAS SUGGESTED THAT COOPERATING WITH ICE IS PROTECTING US FROM SOME KIND OF CRACKDOWN FROM TRUMP OR ABBOTT, BUT THIS IS BLATANTLY FALSE. HOUSTON LEADS THE NATION IN ICE RS AND WE KNOW IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY. ORGANIZERS HERE ARE ALREADY DOING THE CRUCIAL WORK THE CITY SHOULD BE DOING, AND WE ALL SAW IN MINNEAPOLIS HOW STUDENTS UNIONS, CHURCH LEADERS COULD UNITE, CARRY OUT A GENERAL STRIKE AND WIN. WE CANNOT LET THE CITY'S LEGAL DEPARTMENT STOP US FROM DOING THE BARE MINIMUM TO PROTECT IMMIGRANTS IN HOUSTON. I WANT ICE OUT OF THE CITY AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S POSSIBLE. THANK YOU. GRIFFIN WALKER TO BE FOLLOWED BY KEVIN JOAQUIN. GOOD EVENING. I'M GRIFFIN FROM DISTRICT C AS AN ORGANIZER WITH THE PARTY FOR SOCIALISM AND LIBERATION AND STANDUP HOUSTON, AN IMMIGRANT RIGHTS FOCUS VOLUNTEER GROUP. I'VE SPENT THE LAST YEAR GETTING TO KNOW LOCAL IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES AND WORKING ALONGSIDE THEM TO AMPLIFY THE VISIBILITY OF THIS DEEPLY UNPOPULAR ICE CRACKDOWN. IT'S BECOME MORE CLEAR EACH AND EVERY DAY THAT THIS CITY WHOSE LEADERSHIP CLAIMS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE INCREDIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF IMMIGRANTS IS A HOSTILE PLACE FOR ALL OF US. HPD PRETENDS TO BE CONCERNED WHEN COMMUNITIES DON'T TRUST THEM, YET USES ANY EXCUSE TO CALL ICE WHITMEYER PRETENDS TO BE HONEST, WHILE LYING ABOUT HPD AND ICE COLLABORATION AND PRETENDS TO BE PROTECTING CITIZENS FROM LARGE ICE CRACKDOWNS BY SACRIFICING OUR MOST VULNERABLE CITY ATTORNEY, ARTURO MICHELLE PRETENDS TO BE CONCERNED WITH STATE LAW WHILE PULLING OUT THE KEY PROVISION THAT GAVE THIS ORDINANCE SOME TEETH. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. PASS THIS ORDINANCE AND ALL COLLABORATION WITH ICE. KEVIN JOAQUIN, ANDREA GORE GUERRERO, ROBERT GALLEGOS. OKAY. TO BE FOLLOWED BY AJ GOMEZ STONE. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. I WANT TO PER PERSONALLY THANK COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD AND COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN FOR TAKING THE COURAGE AND, AND PUTTING THIS FORWARD. I'M HERE REPRESENTING, UH, THE LATINO LEARNING CENTER. I'M ON THEIR BOARD. I'M ALSO PRESIDENT OF MY CIVIC CLUB AND WE VOTED IN IN SUPPORT OF THIS ORDINANCE ALSO, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, I SERVED ON THIS BODY FOR 10 YEARS AND POSSIBLY VOTED FOR OVER THOUSANDS OF ITEMS THAT WERE ON THE AGENDA WITHIN THOSE 10 YEARS UNDER TWO MAYORS, MAYOR PARKER AND MAYOR TURNER. AND THERE SOME OF 'EM WERE TOUGH, BUT COUNCIL MEMBERS, THIS ITEM IS NOT TOUGH. DURING THE 2020 CENSUS, HOUSTON IS MADE UP OF 46% OF THE POPULATION IS HISPANIC. ONE OUT OF FOUR ARE FOREIGN BORN, WHERE THE MOST DIVERSE CITY IN THE UNITED STATES. IF OUR CITY NEEDS TO GROW, HOUSTONIANS NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE SAFE TO GO TO WORK AND THEY ARE SAFE. THEIR KIDS ARE SAFE TO GO TO SCHOOL. THANK YOU. HOWARD DISTRICT ROBERT NEXT, AJ GOMEZ STONE. JENNIFER RAIEK, STEVEN WU TO BE FOLLOWED BY RANDALL BAXLEY. I AM STEVEN WU. I'M THE INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR WOODY JUNTOS. AND I'M GONNA TRY TO HOLD TWO THINGS TO BE TRUE. THE TWO REMAINING PROVISIONS OF THE SALINAS ORDINANCE ARE GOOD TRANSPARENCY AND UPHOLDING THE FOURTH AMENDMENT, BUT THE REMOVAL OF THE DISCRETION PER PROVISION WAS ASININE AND RIDICULOUS [00:50:02] HOW DALE SAID IT BEST. HOW DO HOW ARE WE ALLOWING AN APPOINTED OFFICIAL DI DICTATE THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE? I NEED THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE ATTORNEYS, TO TALK WITH HIM AND CONVINCE HIM AND TELL THEM THAT HE IS WRONG. WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT FOR FUTURE ACTIONS, THINGS LIKE NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS, WE MUST GO FURTHER TO PREVENT ANY OF MORE OF THESE VIOLENCE AGAINST OUR COMMUNITIES. AND LASTLY, IT'S VERY EVIDENT THAT FOLKS HERE IN FRONT OF ME ARE WAY TOO COMFORTABLE. MY LAST MESSAGE IS FOR THE PEOPLE BEHIND ME AND FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WATCHING RIGHT NOW. ORGANIZE WITH US AT WOODY JUNTOS, ORGANIZE WITH US AT HOUSTON LEADS AND MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER WE WANT WE GET DONE. RANDALL BAXLEY, DISTRICT H RESIDENT, TAKING A MOMENT TO THANK, UH, AMY PECK AND WILLIE DAVIS FOR JOINING US ON FRIDAY FOR THE, UH, VETERANS VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL DAY AT THE, UH, AT OUR PARK IN, IN NEAR NORTH IN NORTHSIDE, HOUSTON. ALSO TO JUST SIMPLY STATE THAT IF A MAN KNOWS IT IS RIGHT AND DOES IT NOT UNTO HIM, IT IS SIN IF A MAN KNOWS IT IS WRONG AND DOES IT UNTO HIM, THAT IS SIN. NOW I'VE PARAPHRASED A LITTLE BIT, BUT NOT A LOT. WE ALL KNOW IN OUR HEARTS FROM THE SECOND CHAPTER OF GENESIS, THAT WHICH IS RIGHT AND THAT WHICH IS WRONG. AND I VOTE, I VOTE AND HOPE THAT YOU WILL VOTE THE HEART THAT GOD GAVE YOU. THANK YOU. J GERARD LYNCH, GERARD LYNCH, NORA PIERCE, ISAIAH LOPEZ. NO. YOU OKAY? GOOD EVENING. MY NAME'S NORA PIERCE AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON WIDE DSA. TODAY I AM MORNING. I'M MOURNING THE PEOPLE WHO INTERACT WITH HPD AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GO HOME AND TELL THEIR LOVED ONES ABOUT IT. I'M MOURNING THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN PULLED OVER FOR A BROKEN TAILLIGHT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE CALLED HPD TO REPORT DOMESTIC ABUSE AND ANY HOUSTONIAN WHO HAS BEEN KIDNAPPED BY MASK AGENTS 'CAUSE OF THIS GROUP'S INEFFECTIVENESS. I HAD TO REWRITE THIS BECAUSE I PLAN TO COME AND URGE YOU TOWARDS SUPPORTING PROP A I'M STILL HERE TO PROMOTE THIS LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE, BUT THE REMOVAL OF THE PROVISION THAT ALLOWED HPD DISCRETION MAKES ME SICK. YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT AN UNELECTED MEMBER OF THE HOUSTON CITY GOVERNMENT DECIDED TO STRIKE THIS? THAT'S NOT THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE. AND DOES THE HOUSTON CITY ATTORNEY ARTURO MICHELLE BELIEVES THAT THE OOF DOES HOUSTON BELIEVE THAT AUSTIN, DALLAS, AND BEXAR COUNTY ARE COMMITTING CRIMES ARE ILLEGALLY MOVING AGAINST THE STATE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE OUR CITY ATTORNEY DOES YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. NEVER FORGET WHERE HOUSTON'S AND INVESTMENT LIE LOPEZ WITH CORPORATIONS AND NOT THE PEOPLE. YOU MUST VOTE YES TO THESE REMAINING MEASURES IN PROP A FOR HOUSTON AND FOR YOUR CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT IN THIS GOVERNMENT TO BE FOLLOWED BY JULIE WYNN. I AM HERE BECAUSE OF HOW UNSERIOUS AND PATHETIC THIS BODY'S EFFORTS TO PROTECT OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN. WE NEED REAL ACTION, NOT APATHY AND WEAK ORDINANCES THAT FALL BELOW WHAT OTHER TEXAS CITIES HAVE ALREADY DONE. UNFORTUNATELY, WE PROBABLY HAVE THE MOST UNFIT LEADERSHIP FOR THIS CRISIS. THIS IS THE SAME MAYOR KNOWN FOR GUTTING VITAL PUBLIC SERVICES IN BLACK AND BROWN NEIGHBORHOODS TO PAY FOR MORE POLICING AND SURVEILLANCE. THE SAME MAYOR THAT ATTENDED A FUNDRAISER FOR A REPUBLICAN THAT WAS A MODERATOR OF A RACIST FACEBOOK GROUP, SAME MAYOR THAT INITIALLY TRIED TO LIE ABOUT ICE COLLABORATION. IT'S REALLY VI EMPATHETIC STUFF. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S INTERPRETATION OF THE LAW IS OUT OF STEP WITH WHAT OTHER TEXAS JU UH, JURISDICTIONS HAVE ALREADY DONE TO PROTECT FAMILIES AND EVEN APPEARS TO BE OUTTA STEP WITH THE FOURTH AMENDMENT TO OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT PUT THE ORDINANCE ON THE AGENDA. BUT I'M GLAD THAT Y'ALL ARE USING PROP A TO CHALLENGE BAD [00:55:01] LEADERSHIP. CLEARLY Y'ALL HAVE TO PUSH HARDER. HOW DO YOU WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS LEADERS? YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED AS LEADERS THAT TOOK BOTH ACTION AGAINST FASCISM, WHEREAS PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T DO ENOUGH FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU. WHEN THANK YOU, THE TRUST AND TIME YOU WERE GIVEN, YOU'LL HAVE TO DO BETTER THAN THIS. JULIE WINN JAMES CON, JAMES CONLEY ELIZABETH GUIDE JAMES CON TO BE FOLLOWED BY ELIZABETH GUIDE OF HUMBLE. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME'S BETH GUIDE AND I'M FROM DISTRICT E. I'M NOT PART OF AN ORGANIZED GROUP LIKE MANY HERE. UM, AND I DOUBT VERY HIGHLY MANY OF THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE HERE ON A VISA. I DO BECAUSE I LIVED THE FIRST SEVEN YEARS OF MY LIFE AS A, UM, A NATURAL RES A UH, PERMANENT RESIDENT. I'M A NATURALIZED AMERICAN CITIZEN NOW AND I WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS. LEGALLY, I PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION ALL OF MY LIFE. I AM ASKED ON A REGULAR BASIS AND HAVE TO CARRY MY NATURALIZATION CERTIFICATE WITH ME. I DON'T THINK PEOPLE REALIZE THAT. IT'S NOT UNCOMMON WHEN YOU LIVE IN THAT KIND OF A SITUATION, OKAY? I DON'T THINK IT'S RIGHT TO HAMPER LAW ENFORCEMENT. YOUR JOB IS TO KEEP THE CITY SAFE. IF I STOPS ME, I CAN SHOW THAT I'M HERE LEGALLY. IF YOU CAN'T, THEN YOU EITHER NEED TO FIGURE OUT THE PROCESS, FIX THE PROCESS, OR GO BACK TO WHERE YOU CAME FROM. I DON'T FEAR IT. I DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. AND I THINK YOU ARE. I THINK WE'RE MAKING THIS VERY MUCH UNSAFE TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO RUN AROUND THAT YOU DON'T KNOW THAT ARE HERE. YOU DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE IMMUNIZED, YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THEM. SO I SAY, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. LET'S SUPPORT LAW ENFORCEMENT. YOU JAMES. YOU JAMES. OKAY. AS A, UH, STUDENT ORGANIZER AND MORE IMPORTANTLY TO Y'ALL A VOTER, I WOULD LIKE TO TELL A STORY ABOUT ONE OF YOUR FORMER COWORKERS. A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, I CAST MY BALLOT FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY PRIMARY. AND WHILE I DIDN'T CARE FOR MOST NAMES, ONE OF THEM MADE ME SO EXCITED. I ALMOST SHOUTED IN THE VOTING CENTER, THAT NAME WAS LETITIA PLUMMER, A FORMER COUNCIL PERSON HERE WHO IF YOU DON'T KNOW, ATTEMPTED TO PUSH LEGISLATION THROUGH TO ALLOW HPD TO NOT HAVE TO CALL ICE ON, UH, ANYBODY WITH AN ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANT. IT WAS BECAUSE OF THAT INKLING OF KNOWLEDGE THAT I HAPPILY VOTED FOR HER. IF PROPOSITION A, WHICH WOULD DO JUST THAT DOES NOT GET PASSED IN ITS ENTIRETY. IF YOU CANNOT PRESSURE THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO CAPITULATE AND EXCUSE MY FRENCH, DO AS AUSTIN AND DALLAS DID, THEN THE SAME GRACE, I'M SURE MANY OTHERS LIKE ME GAVE MS. PLUMMER WILL NOT BE EXTENDED TO YOU. THIS B******T ASS STATE LAW EXCUSE IS NO LONGER BASED IN REALITY. Y'ALL ARE FREE TO PUT YOUR PROFIT, YOUR TIME OF YOUR POLITICS. BUT THAT'S ALL THAT ANYBODY OR ANY VOTER WILL EVER SEE YOU AS A PROFITEER. THANK YOU SARAH. SARAH LOPEZ. SARAH LOPEZ. COULD COULD I ASK OUR, OUR GUESTS TO LISTEN FOR A MOMENT? WE'RE BEING SO TOLERANT AND I'M, UH, GOING BACK OVER THE NAMES THAT MR. FIRST CALLS. SO WE'RE DOING OUR PART TO MAKE THIS A FAIR HEARING. WOULD YOU PLEASE HONOR OUR RULES? WE'RE UP HERE AND WE GET THE NOISE A LOT MORE DIRECT THAN YOU DO, AND IT IS EATING AND YOU ARE EATING UP SOME VALUABLE TIME SO WE CAN HAVE A VERY FAIR, FAIR HEARING THIS AFTERNOON, RESPECT TO EACH OTHER, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT YOU MIGHT DISAGREE WITH. BUT PLEASE HOLD THE NOISE DOWN. WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO RESPECT YOU, SO PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL OF THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU. SARAH LOPEZ SU SUSANNA DURAN TO BE FOLLOWED BY LAURA PEREZ BOSTON. HELLO. GOOD EVENING. I'M SUSANNA LUAN. I'M AN ORGANIZING MANAGER AT WORKERS DEFENSE ACTION FUND. WE ARE A MEMBER LED ORGANIZATION THAT FIGHTS FOR WORKING IMMIGRANT FAMILIES IN TEXAS. I LIVE IN DISTRICT J, BUT I'M ACTUALLY NEW TO HOUSTON. I MOVED FROM ATLANTA WHERE I WAS AN ECONOMIST FOR THE US BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS AND AN ORGANIZER LONG BEFORE THEN. WHEN I JOINED THE WORKERS' DEFENSE TEAM, I WAS IMMEDIATELY MET WITH WARMTH AND OPTIMISM FROM OUR MEMBERS. I'VE HAD TO MEET SO MANY HOUSTON MEMBERS AND I'M GOING TO KNOW THEIR [01:00:01] STORIES, THEIR LAUGHTERS, THEIR FEARS AND THE FUTURES THEY ENVISION. AND THERE'S A COMMON THREAD THEY WANT TO LIVE IN. ABSENCE OF FEAR. THEY WANT TO GO TO WORK AND THEY WANNA MAKE IT BACK HOME SAFE AND SOUND. THEY WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL. THEY WANNA GO TO THE PARK ON WEEKENDS. THEY WANNA GO TO THE FLEA MARKETS AGAIN, THEY WANT TO GO TOGETHER AS A FAMILY, BUT THEY ARE BEING SEPARATED, DETAINED AND DEPORTED BECAUSE HPD IS LITERALLY DETAINING AND HANDING OVER INDIVIDUALS TO ICE TO BE SEPARATED FROM THEIR FAMILIES, TO BE STARVED, TO BE MADE SICK, AND TO BE MADE TO SUFFER IN DETENTION. OUR MEMBERS DO THIS. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. VOTING YES IS A JUST THING TO DO. LAURA PEREZ, BOSTON TO BE GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS LAURA PEREZ BOSTON. I'M THE STATEWIDE ORGANIZING DIRECTOR WITH WORKERS DEFENSE ACTION FUND. A MEMBER LED ORGANIZATION THAT ORGANIZES ALONGSIDE LATINO FAMILIES TO FIGHT FOR WORKER AND IMMIGRANT JUSTICE. I'VE LIVED AND DONE COMMUNITY ORGANIZING WORK IN HOUSTON FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS AND LIVE IN DISTRICT A I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE ALL RESIDENTS IN THIS AMAZINGLY DIVERSE CITY DESERVE NOT JUST SAFETY, BUT THE FREEDOM TO STAY AND THRIVE IN OUR COMMUNITIES. THE IMPACT OF HBDS COLLABORATION WITH ICE ISN'T JUST A TICKET OR A FLAG IN THE SYSTEM. IT GOES FAR BEYOND THAT. IT'S THE TRAUMA AND GENERATIONAL IMPACT OF SEPARATED FAMILIES, THE ECONOMIC HARDSHIP OF CREDIT CARD DEBT TO PAY ATTORNEY'S FEES AND SUFFERING IN INHUMANE CONDITIONS AND DETENTION CAMPS. THIS COLLABORATION IS DESTROYING FAMILIES AND OUR COMMUNITY. THIS IS NOT WHO WE ARE IN HOUSTON. WORKERS' DEFENSE ACTION FUND, ALONG WITH HOUSTON LEADS AND RISE COALITION WILL CONTINUE URGING CITY COUNCIL TO GO FURTHER. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. NEXT TIA DORO TO BE FOLLOWED BY DARLENE DEION OF THE HOUSTON. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS, AND I REPRESENT CRESCENT, A COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION WITH MORE THAN 10,000 MEMBERS ACROSS DIFFERENT DISTRICTS IN HOUSTON. TODAY I WANT TO EXPRESS ON BEHALF OF OUR COMMUNITIES THE DEEP CONCERN ABOUT THE, THE DETERIORATION OF TRUST BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND THE POLICE. FOR MANY YEARS, THE POLICE REPRESENTED A CERTAIN LEVEL OF SAFETY AND PROTECTION. HOWEVER, THAT PERCEPTION HAS CHANGED DUE TO THE FEAR CREATED BY THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN LOCAL POLICE AND ICE. THE FEAR HAS REAL CONSEQUENCES. MANY PEOPLE NO LONGER FEEL SAFE REPORTING CRIMES CALLING 9 1 1 WHEN THEY ARE IN DANGER OR COOPERATING WITH POLICE AS WITNESSES. FOR THAT REASON TODAY, WE RESPECTFULLY ASK THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF COUNCIL MEMBERS. SALINAS IS PROPOSED TO ORDINANCE, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT STEP TOWARD REBUILDING TRUST. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DARLING DEON. I AM A MEMBER LEADER WITH WORKER DEFENSE ACTION FUND. I'VE TAKEN ON MANY, I'VE TAKEN ON MANY ROLES ACROSS THE CITY BEYOND PHOTOGRAPHY, INCLUDING SUPPORTING WORK IN THE LEGAL FIELD, SUPPORTING BUSINESSES, BUILDING COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS. I AM A MOM, A SISTER, A FRIEND, A HELPER, AND A PROTECTOR AND PROUD DAUGHTER OF A DOMESTIC WORKER. I LIVE IN THE SOUTHWEST HOUSTON, DISTRICT J I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF PROP A. THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE ON COMMUNITY SAFETY AND IMMIGRATION INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS ALEJANDRA LINAS, EDWARD POLLARD [01:05:01] AND ABBY KAON. WE NEED TO ACT WITH THE SAME COURAGE IT TAKES FOR FAMILIES TO LIVE THEIR DAILY LIVES IN THE FACE OF UNCERTAINTY. THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT IMMIGRANT FAMILIES, IT AFFECTS OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY. FEAR SPREADS. BUSINESS BUSINESSES ARE DISRUPTED, AND CHILDREN ARE LEFT WITH QUESTIONS THAT OFTEN GO UNANSWERED. HOUSTON CANNOT BE NEUTRAL. WE NEED MEANINGFUL ACTION THAT PROTECTS COMMUNITIES, ALLOWS FAMILIES AND BUSINESSES TO THRIVE AND CREATES HEALTHY ATMOSPHERE WHERE EVERYONE FEELS SAFE AND SUPPORTED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR TIME. OH, THANK YOU. VI VI FAM TERRY CHEN TO BE FOLLOWED BY MARK WADEL. GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M TERRY CHEN. I'M A LIFELONG HOUSTONIAN RESIDENT OF DISTRICT H AND I'M THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZER WITH WOODY JUNTOS SERVING IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES. WE WERE ALL REALLY EXCITED WHEN COUNCIL MEMBERS SALINAS INTRODUCED THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE THAT WOULD EMPOWER HBD TO NOT CALL ICE FOR FEDERAL ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANTS. AND THEN WITH WHIPLASH SPEED, THE MOST IMPACTFUL PIECE OF THE ORDINANCE WAS CUT DUE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S INTERPRETATION. THIS LEADS US TO UNDERSTAND THE CITY ATTORNEY IS ONLY BEING WHITMEYER AND HP D'S PUPPET BECAUSE THE OTHER MAJOR TEXAS CITIES HAVE PASSED THIS ORDINANCE WITH NO PUSHBACK OR REPERCUSSIONS. IT'S A LITTLE SUSPICIOUS THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY DOING WHIT MEYER'S BIDDING HAS A DIFFERING OPINION FROM THE MANY LEGAL EXPERTS THAT WORKED ON THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE. I WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBERS, SELS POLLARD AND CAYMAN FOR ATTEMPTING TO KEEP OUR FAMILIES SAFE. BUT WE NEED ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO FIND THE COURAGE TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT AND TO KEEP US ALL SAFE. PASSING THIS ORDINANCE IS THE ABSOLUTE FLOOR. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS MARK. I'M FROM, UH, UH, DISTRICT A AND I'VE COME TO TALK TO Y'ALL ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW. UH, I COME IN SUPPORT OF, UH, PROPOSITION A AND I'M ALSO COMING TO TALK ABOUT THE INACTION THAT'S HAPPENED IN THIS COUNCIL RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU TO THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME TO THIS ACTION. BUT WE, UH, BEHIND ME, THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN TALKING HAVE ALL COME FROM THE SAME PLACE, PEOPLE AS WORKERS, AND WE ARE TIRED OF THE STATUS QUO. PEOPLE WHO DO NOT FIGHT ARE ALLOWING THE STATUS QUO TO KEEP HAPPENING. WE ARE TIRED OF IT. US AS A WORKING CLASS ARE COMING TOGETHER TO TALK TO YOU AND SAY WE ARE TIRED OF GETTING ARRESTED FOR, FOR LOW LEVEL, UM, MARIJUANA OFFENSES. WE'RE TIRED OF, UH, GETTING PULLED OVER AND BEING TALKED TO. WE ARE TIRED OF IT. WE ARE FIGHTING AND WE ARE FIGHTING AND WE COME EVERY MONTH. WE'RE DOING ALL WE CAN. AND I I PRO I I AM IN SUPPORT OF PROPOSITION A THANK YOU RO ROAN EVANS. ROAN EVANS TO BE FOLLOWED BY LAURA CASTANEDO. HOW Y'ALL DOING? THANK YOU. CITY COUNCIL. MAYOR, FIRST I WANNA SAY, UM, I WANNA GIVE Y'ALL A SPECIAL THANKS. YOU KNOW, NORMALLY A LOT OF Y'ALL, IT LOOK LIKE Y'ALL DON'T BE PAYING ATTENTION OR LISTENING. BUT TODAY, YOU KNOW, LIKE I CAN ACTUALLY TELL LIKE YOU GUYS ARE ACTUALLY LISTENING. UM, I ALSO WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT AND A THANKS TO, UH, EDWARD POLLARD CAME IN AND A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO ALEJANDRA BECAUSE YOU ARE THE NEWLY ELECTED, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER AND YOU ALL UNDERSTAND THAT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE AND IT NEEDS TO BE DONE TODAY. OUR UNDOCUMENTED POPULATION DO NOT DESERVE WHAT THEY ARE EXPERIENCING AT THE HANDS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OR ICE. THEY DO NOT DESERVE THE DETENTIONS, ESPECIALLY BEHIND NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS. AND THEY ESPECIALLY DON'T DESERVE DEPORTATION. BUT I ALSO WANT PEOPLE TO REMEMBER THAT AT THE SAME TIME, WE MOVING FORWARD TO FIGURE OUT A SOLUTION BECAUSE SOMETHING DO NEED TO BE DONE, WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MOVE IN UNISON BECAUSE BLACK PEOPLE BEEN FIGHTING ON THE FRONT LINES SINCE THEY WEREN'T REPRESENTING EVERYBODY IN THEIR ISSUE. SO WHEN IT COME TIME TO SOLVE A PROBLEM, MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT CUT THE BLACK ISSUE OUT BECAUSE THEY ARE MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND I AM THEIRS [01:10:04] RASHAN, I, I KNOW IS ONE OF THE LEADERS OF PURE JUSTICE AND I JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE THE WORK OF PURE JUSTICE AND OF ADVOCATES THAT ARE CONTINUING TO ADVOCATE FOR ALL OF THE COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT HOUSTON. UM, AGAIN, WE HAVE A TON OF SPEAKERS, SO I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO A LOT OF THAT, BUT I DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL ARE GETTING THE RECOGNITION FOR THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE BEHIND THE SCENES AS WELL. THANK YOU COUNCILMAN SHABA. THANK YOU MAYOR, AND CERTAINLY RASHAN. YOU KNOW, I REALLY APPRECIATE WHEN I SEE YOU AND WHEN YOU SPEAK. AND I ALSO WANNA POINT OUT THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR ORGANIZATION HAVE BEEN DOING, AND YOU ACTUALLY BROUGHT THE NON TRAFFIC SAFETY STOPS TO US PRIOR TO THIS. SO I, I HEAR YOU AND I WITH THEM COALITION, WE ALL WORKED TOGETHER VERY HARD. WHATEVER I SAW YOU AND JUMP THROUGH GROUP COME FORWARD BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. AND SO I, I THANK YOU AS ALWAYS FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION AND YOUR WORDS OF WISDOM. YES, SIR. SIR COUNCILMAN, I JUST WANNA VERY BRIEFLY SAY, RASHAN, AS YOU KNOW, KNOW IN OUR MANY CONVERSATIONS, I BELIEVE, AND MANY OF US BELIEVE THIS IS A BOTH AND SITUATION. SO LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO GET THIS PASSED AND WORK TOGETHER TO WORK ON NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS. LAURA CASTANEDA LARKIN BLACKWELL FROM PRAIRIE VIEW, TANGIE SMITH, CORETTA BROWN. NO, GIAN THOMAS. I'M HERE TO BE FOLLOWED BY CECILIA FONTANO TO, OH, COME ON. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. UH, MY NAME. OH, EITHER ONE. OKAY. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS GIAN CHRISTOPHER THOMAS. I AM THE CEO AND FOUNDER OF POP PROTEST ORGANIZ AND PARTICIPATE. AND I'M HERE BECAUSE THE TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT SHOULD BE ABOUT SAFETY AND NOT FEAR. IT SHOULD BE ABOUT PROTECTING PUBLIC AND NOT CREATING MORE DISTRUST BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE. IT SERVES TOO MANY RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY BLACK AND LATINOS AND LOW INCOME FAMILIES AND MIGRANT FAMILIES KNOW WHAT IT IS TO BE ANXIOUS AT A TRAFFIC STOP. WHAT SHOULD BE A ROUTINE QUICK PROCESS HAS BECOME A LARGER PROBLEM IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. PEOPLE ARE BEING DEPORTED, FAMILIES ARE BEING TORN APART. AND IT'S FOR Y'ALL, OUR CITY COUNCIL TO BE THAT FRONTLINE. THIS FEAR IS NOT IMAGINED. IT'S NATIONAL RESEARCH IS BEHIND IT, INCLUDING, UH, WORK FROM THE STANFORD OPEN, UH, POLICING PROJECT HAS SHOWN THAT BLACK DRIVERS ARE STOPPED AND SEARCHED MORE. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED THAN WHITE DRIVERS. THANK YOU. I COULDN'T FINISH MY STATEMENT, BUT I THINK Y'ALL GET THE CE CECILIA FONTANO. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. MY NAME IS CECILIA FAU. I AM HERE TO SUPPORT THE PRIORITIZING NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS FAR TOO MANY ELECTED OFFICIALS AND OTHERS TAKE BLACK PEOPLE FOR GRANTED. THEY CALL ON US TO STAND IN UNITY, TO FIGHT IN UNISON FOR EVERYONE'S ISSUE EXCEPT OUR VERY OWN TODAY. THIS MUST STOP. YET WHEN IT'S TIME TO ACT, OUR ISSUES ARE PUSHED ON. THE BLACK BURNER RELIEF IS NOT SELECTIVE. ALL COMMUNITIES NEED RELIEF EQUALLY. IF WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT SOLVING THESE PROBLEMS, THEN WE MUST SOLVE THEM FOR EVERYONE. BLACK LATINO, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED TOGETHER. I THANK YOU ALL. [01:15:04] ARE YOU KENNETH? I'M KEN ROGERS. KENNETH ROGERS ALL. AND, UH, I'M NOT GONNA STATE THE OBVIOUS. UH, I THINK MY COLLEAGUES HAVE DONE THAT ALREADY. I WANT TO PULL ON YOUR HEARTSTRINGS. I WANT YOU TO TRY TO IMAGINE YEARS AGO WHEN YOU WERE NEWLY MARRIED, YOU HAD A TODDLER, YOUR FOCUS WAS ON A ROOF OVER YOUR HEAD, FOOD, TRANSPORTATION TO WORK, AND YOU HAVE THOSE THINGS, BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU BACKED INTO A POLE AND YOU LOST YOUR TAILLIGHT. YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO REPAIR YOUR TAIL LIGHT. YOU GET STOPPED. YOU GET A TICKET. NOT ONLY CAN YOU NOT AFFORD TO REPAIR YOUR TAIL LIGHT, YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY THE TICKET. NOW YOU HAVE A WARRANT AND YOU'RE RIDING DIRTY AT THE SAME TIME. NOW YOU GET PICKED UP AND YOU WIND UP IN JAIL. THAT'S NOT THE PATHWAY THAT WE SHOULD BE PROVIDING. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED FOR THESE YOUNG PEOPLE. THANK YOU. USE YOUR HEART AND YOUR HEAD PLEASE. HOLD ON ONE SECOND. MS. WRIGHT COUNCIL. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU. KEN ROGERS, YOU KNOW, YOU AND YOUR WIFE. DOLORES HOL IS A VERY SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. LANITA ROBINSON, JOHN CAREER. YEAH. FIRST I'M GONNA SAY HELLO TO SALLY. TELL GEORGE I SAY HELLO. UH, I'M, UH, I JUST TURNED 74, UH, LAST WEEK. AND I'M HERE TO SUPPORT MY BROWN BROTHERS AND SISTERS. 'CAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THEM HAS BEEN HAPPENING TO BLACK PEOPLE FOR YEARS. I GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL IN 1970. I REMEMBER DRIVING A CAR WITH MY GIRLFRIEND AT 16 YEARS OLD, GETTING PULLED OVER. POLICE DIDN'T ASK FOR NO ID, NO WHERE YOU COMING FROM, WHERE YOU'RE GOING. I REMEMBER AS I GOT OLDER, COMING FROM RIVER OAKS, I'VE BEEN TO RIVER OAK FOR 26 YEARS DOING ALARMS, GOING DOWN FAIRVIEW. WE PULL OUT THIS STORE, WE GOING DOWN FAIRVIEW. I SAW THIS POLICE PASS ME. I LOOKED IN MY MIRROR. HE MADE A U-TURN. I ALREADY KNEW WHAT WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. HE FOLLOWED US FOR LIKE SIX OR SEVEN WEEKS. IT WAS ME AND MY COWORKERS. FOUR OF US PULLED US OVER ON FANNING BY THEN HE HAD CALLED BACK UP AND YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. OKAY? WHEN LET, WHEN HE DIDN'T EVEN SAY COME UP TO, TO THE WINDOW, HE SAID, GET OUT THE CAR, COME TO THE BACK OF THE CAR. I SAID, WHAT ARE YOU PULLING ME OVER FOR? HE SAID, 'CAUSE YOUR STICKER IS OUT. I SAID, MY STICKERS ARE OUT. HE WALKED TO THE FRONT. MY STICKER WASN'T OUT. HE SAID, WELL, MY, MY LICENSE HAD EXPIRED ABOUT FOR, FOR ABOUT A MONTH. HE SAID, WELL, YOUR LICENSE EXPIRED. YOUR INS, I HAVE MY INSURANCE. THAT MEANS YOUR INSURANCE IS PROBABLY INVALID. I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A TICKET FOR INVALID INSURANCE. I GO TO COURT. OKAY? I I, I HAND THE JUDGE THE INSURANCE PAPERS. THE JUDGE SAID, WHY ARE YOU GIVING ME THIS? HE SAID, I SAID, WELL, HE TOLD ME HE WAS GIVING ME A TICKET FOR MY, MY INSURANCE WAS NO GOOD, BUT HE GAVE ME A TICKET FOR MY STICKER. THE JUDGE SAID, MAN, GET OUTTA HERE. I'M DISMISS. SO I'M SAYING THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS. OKAY, THANK YOU. IT'S HAPPENING TO MY BROWN BROTHERS AND SISTERS RIGHT NOW. AND I, I RESPECTFULLY POLICE, MY COUSIN WAS A POLICEMAN FOR 35 YEARS. I HAVE A A, ONE OF MY FRIENDS, MY MINISTER WAS A MEMBER OF THE FBI. SO I RESPECT LAW ENFORCEMENT. BUT, BUT YOU HAVE ROB PEOPLE THAT PULLING OVER PEOPLE JUST BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN, NOT YOUR, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED, SIR. THANK YOU. THANK, THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL YOU SIR ELIZABETH ORTIZ. COULD YOU REPEAT THAT? OR ELIZABETH ORTIZ O HRTS TO BE FOLLOWED BY REBECCA SALE COUNSEL, UH, I'LL BE, UH, TRANSLATING FOR ELIZABETH MAYOR, [01:20:01] UH, THE MICROPHONE. MAYOR POINTER ORDER. WE, UM, RECEIVED SOME NEW TECHNOLOGY TO, UM, WORK ON OUR TRANSLATION SERVICE. WOULD YOU LET US TEST IT OUT AND NOT TRANSLATE? SO IF SHE CAN JUST SPEAK IN SPANISH, WE CAN TEST THE TECHNOLOGY TO SEE IF IT WORKS FOR FUTURE REFERENCE. WILL THE, WILL THE COUNCIL STILL BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND HER TESTIMONY? THAT'S WHAT I, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO TEST OUT. AND Y'ALL WILL BE ABLE TO LIKE READ THE SCRIPT. SO WHEN SHE SPEAKS IN SPANISH, IT'S SUPPOSED TO TRANSLATE IN ENGLISH ON OUR SCREEN. SO I WANNA TEST IT OUT WITHOUT YOUR TRANSLATION. OKAY. OKAY. OKAY. SO JUST GO AHEAD AND, OKAY. WHY DON'T YOU, UH, WHY DON'T YOU NOT LOOK AT IT UH, GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD AND, AND AS THE MAYOR LETTER TEST IT, UH, APPARENTLY WORKS FOR US, BUT WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND DO IT, UH, SO OUR GUESTS CAN HEAR. WHAT DID Y'ALL GET? IT WAS TRANSPIRED. OKAY. I I FEEL LIKE MAYOR, UM, I, I THINK THAT AS WE START USING THIS SERVICE THAT WE NEED, THE CLOSED CAPTION SHOULD ALSO BE TRANSLATED. YEAH, IT'S A PILOT PROJECT. YEAH. YEAH. YOU, YOU'RE CORRECT. WE'LL DO IT THERE FOR THE GUEST, BUT WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD. OKAY. HELLO, MY NAME IS ELIZABETH, A MEMBER OF WORKERS' DEFENSE, AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT A ON OCTOBER 7TH LAST YEAR, COUNTY SHERIFF'S ARRESTED MY HUSBAND LOUISE, OUTSIDE, OUTSIDE OF OUR APARTMENT. THEY BEAT HIM BREAKING THREE OF HIS RIBS AND HIS NOSE. HE'S STILL, HE'S STILL IN DETENTION FOR FIVE MONTHS UNDER HORRIBLE CONDITIONS. AND HE HAS A CLEAN RECORD. I LOST MY JOB AFTERWARDS. THEY TOOK MY CAR. I, I MOVED OUT OF MY APARTMENT AND I'VE ONLY BEEN ABLE TO SURVIVE BY SELLING FOOD I CAN BARELY AFFORD TO TALK TO, TO LUIS. EVEN ONCE A WEEK. FINDING A LAWYER FOR LUIS COSTS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. ON TOP OF THAT LUIS'S BROTHER DIED WITHOUT SEEING HIM WHILE HE'S IN JAIL. LUIS IS THE KIND OF PERSON WHO WOULD TAKE FOOD FROM OUT OF HIS OWN HANDS TO GIVE IT TO SOMEONE ELSE. I ASK OF YOU, WHAT WOULD YOU DO IN MY SITUATION? IF SOMETHING HAPPENED TO THE PERSON YOU LOVE, YOUR FAMILY MEMBER, WHAT WOULDN'T YOU DO FOR THEM? WHAT IS WITHIN YOUR POWER? EVEN THOUGH HE WAS ARRESTED BY THE COUNTY, YOU STILL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO CREATE A CITY FREE FROM FEAR. WHAT WE'RE FACING DOESN'T FALL UNDER YOUR JURISDICTION. WHAT WE'RE FACING FALLS UNDER YOUR JURISDICTION AND IT'S THE LEAST YOU CAN DO. DO NOT COOPERATE WITH IMMIGRATION IN ANY WAY, IN ANY CAPACITY. DO NOT HONOR IMMIGRATION ORDERS THAT AREN'T EVIDENCE OF A CRIME, NOR ARE THEY EV THE SAME AS A JUDICIAL WARRANT. THANK YOU. [01:25:04] REBECCA SALE. I'M TRYING TO SEE IF SHE NO. DANNY HERNANDEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOCELYN SOTO. GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS DANNY HERNANDEZ AND I AM CURRENTLY AN ELECTED TRUSTEE FOR HISD. I LIVE IN DISTRICT I AND I AM ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF THE EAST LAWNDALE CIVIC ASSOCIATION. I'M HERE TO SAY THAT AS THE CIVIC ASSOCIATION WE SUPPORT PROP A. I WANT TO THANK THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS SELENA FOR WRITING THE PROPOSITION AND POLLARD AND CAYMAN FOR SUPPORTING THE PROPOSITION AND THE ORDINANCE. TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT IS NOT OPTIONAL. THEY ARE THE FOUNDATION OF PUBLIC SAFETY. WHEN PEOPLE ARE AFRAID OF THE POLICE, THEY DO NOT REPORT CRIMES. THEY DO NOT ASK FOR HELP, AND THEY DO NOT COME FORWARD WHEN SOMETHING IS WRONG. FEAR DOES NOT MAKE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND OUR COMMUNITIES SAFER. IT ISOLATES PEOPLE, IT WEAKENS COMMUNITIES AND MAKES EFFECTIVE POLICING HARDER FOR EVERYONE. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THAT WAS A THREE MINUTE, NO MA'AM. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER POND HAS A PROCEDURAL COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD. HI Y'ALL. THANK YOU MAYOR. HMM. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO, UM, CALL BACK UP TANGY SMITH AFTER THIS SPEAKER. SECOND TANGIE SMITH. YEAH. SAY YES. THOSE . MOTION PASSES. HI, MY NAME IS JOCELYN SOTO AND I AM HERE TO ASK THIS COUNCIL TO VOTE YES TO PROP A AND TO STOP COLLABORATIONS WITH ICE. ICE IS A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY BILL ON THE EXPLOITATION OF IMMIGRANTS. THEY CAUSE FEAR IN OUR COMMUNITIES, DO NOT FOLLOW THE RULES OF LAW AND SERVE THE GOALS OF A FASCIST REGIME. ADDITIONALLY, ICE HAS BUILT A CONCENTRATION CAMP IN OUR BACKYARD, ONE THAT IS HOLDING HUNDREDS OF INNOCENT CIVILIANS UNDER EXTREME CONDITIONS THAT NO PERSON IS BUILT TO WITHSTAND. LASTLY, OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY MAKES UP A QUARTER OF THE CITY'S POPULATION. HOUSTON WAS BUILT BY AND STILL RUNS ON THE POWER OF IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES. I IMPLORE YOU AS OUR REPRESENTATIVES TO END ALL CONTRACTS WITH ICE, TO STAND UP TO FASCIST LEADERS AND TO CONSIDER HOW YOU WILL BE REMEMBERED IN HISTORY. YOU'LL EITHER BE CHAMPIONS OF THE PEOPLE OR COMPLICIT IN A FASCIST REGIME. YOU DECIDE, THANK YOU. YES. TANGIE SMITH. YES. TO BE FOLLOWED BY JAN SOUTHERN. GOOD EVENING COUNSEL. EVENING. MY NAME IS TANGIE SMITH. I'M A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN. I HAVE NOT BEEN AFRAID OF THE POLICE UNTIL THE LAST 20 YEARS. MICROPHONE. WANT ME TO PULL IT DOWN? OKAY. WHAT ABOUT NOW? OKAY. I HAVE NOT BEEN AFRAID OF THE POLICE UNTIL THE LAST 20 YEARS. I GOT PULLED OVER IN A TRAFFIC STOP AND I WAS PROFILED BECAUSE I WAS A AFRICAN AMERICAN. I REALLY BELIEVE THAT THE POLICIES HAVE TO CHANGE. I REALLY BELIEVE THAT IF IT WAS NOT FOR ANOTHER OFFICER, WITH THAT OFFICER AND SAW MY WHEELCHAIR, THE GUY WAS GONNA ASK ME TO GET OUT OF MY CAR, THERE WAS NO WAY I WAS GONNA BE ABLE TO DO IT IN A TIMELY FASHION. I'M JUST ASKING YOU GUYS TO ACTUALLY REDO THE POLICIES AND STOP THE PROFILING BECAUSE IT'S NOT RIGHT. WE ARE ALLOW ABIDING CITIZENS AND WE SHOULD NOT BE JUDGED ACCORDING TO HOW WE LOOK. BUT BECAUSE IF IN FACT WE HAVE DONE SOMETHING WRONG BECAUSE MY TAG WAS EXPIRED AND I HAD THE INFORMATION, THE GUY RAN IT AND HE TOLD ME, MA'AM, YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO KROGER BECAUSE THEY DID NOT PUT THE INFORMATION IN THE SY IN THE SYSTEM CORRECTLY. THAT'S NOT MY FAULT. I HAVE WHAT YOU ASKED FOR. DON'T PROFILE ME. 'CAUSE I AM A CITIZEN. I'M A LAW AB, A LAW ABIDING CITIZEN, AND THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU JAN SOUTHERN TO BE FOLLOWED BY CARLOS LAR. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU THIS EVENING. MY NAME IS JAN SOUTHERN. I'M HERE TO OPPOSE PROPOSITION A [01:30:01] AS PUT FORWARD BY THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, IN AN EFFORT TO INSTALL SANCTUARY CITY POLICIES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. LOCAL LAW, UH, ENFORCEMENT AND FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES MUST WORK TOGETHER IN A CLEAR AND LAWFUL WAY TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES RATHER THAN BEING DISCOURAGED FROM WORKING WITH ONE ANOTHER AS PROPOSED IN PROPOSITION A. UH, I APOLOGIZE TO YOU FOR SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TOWARDS YOU. I THINK YOU DO YOUR JOB WELL. YOU DO IT AS WELL AS YOU CAN. WE ARE ASKING, UH, OUR POLICE OFFICERS TO MAKE DECISIONS ON THE FLY. I THINK THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WANT THEM TO DO. WE HAVE LAWS ON THE BOOKS THAT NEED TO BE ENFORCED AND, UM, I'M ENCOURAGING YOU TO DECLINE PROPOSITION A BECAUSE THEY'RE ASKING YOU TO NOT ENFORCE THOSE LAWS. THANK YOU CARLOS TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOE BETA CASANOVA. WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS CARLOS. I AM A LOCAL PASTOR, LIVING AND SERVING IN HOUSTON'S HISTORIC RIO. UM, THE STORIES WE ARE HEARING, UH, AS LOCAL PASTORS ACROSS THE, UH, THE CITY AND IMMIGRANT HISPANIC CHURCHES ARE HEARTBREAKING AND ALARMING TO SAY THE LEAST. WE'VE SEEN FAITHFUL CHURCH MEMBERS AND LEADERS SEPARATED FROM THEIR FAMILIES, SEPARATED FROM THEIR CHILDREN. I BELIEVE IT'S INCUMBENT UPON YOU, MAYOR AND UH, CITY COUNCIL, TO ASK YOURSELVES, WILL WE MAKE THE VOTE NECESSARY TO FURTHER PROTECT OUR MOST VULNERABLE HOUSTON FAMILIES? OR WILL WE RETREAT INTO FEAR OURSELVES? FEAR OF LOSING FUNDING, FEAR OF POKING THE BEAR, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE. WANNA TELL YOU A QUICK STORY WITH THE LAST FEW SECONDS I HAVE LEFT? QUEEN ESTHER IN THE OLD TESTAMENT RISKED HER LIFE BY APPROACHING THE KING UNSU SUMMONED TO STOP THE DESTRUCTION OF HER PEOPLE. SHE SPOKE TRUTH TO POWER, LEADING TO THE PROTECTION AND SALVATION OF HER PEOPLE PUTTING HERSELF ON THE LINE. WHO KNOWS? MAYBE GOD HAS PLACED YOU IN YOUR POSITION FOR SUCH A TIME AS YOUR TIME HAS AS THIS VOTE FOR PROPOSITION. A GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M ONE OF THOSE SENIOR SOCIAL SERVICES COORDINATORS FOR KIDS IN NEED OF DEFENSE THAT'S KIND HERE IN THE HOUSTON FIELD. OFFICE KIND WORKS TO PROTECT UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN BY PROVIDING HOLISTIC, LEGAL AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT, HELPING IMMIGRANT YOUTH RECOVERING FROM TRAUMA, STABILIZING THEIR LIVES AND SAFETY SAFELY NAVIGATING COMPLEX SYSTEMS. EVERY DAY WE SEE HOW FEAR OF IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT HARMS CHILDREN. MANY OF YOUNG PEOPLE WE SERVE COME TO THIS COM COUNTRY, HOPEFUL, EXCITED FOR A CHANCE TO LEARN, MAKE FRIENDS, AND BUILD A FUTURE. BUT THE LENGTH BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY BLURRY. SPECIFICALLY, WHEN YOUNG PEOPLE SEE SECURITY OR POLICE PRESENCE AT OR AROUND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, THOSE SITUATIONS SPARK FEAR AND THEIR HOPES IS CUT SHORT. THEY FORCE, THEY'RE FORCED TO MAKE AN IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE, CONTINUING PURSUING THEIR EDUCATION OR WITHDRAWING OUT OF FEAR OF ARREST, DETENTION OR FAMILY SEPARATIONS. WE NEED STRONG TRUST BASED RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN COMMUNITIES AND LAW ENFORCEMENT. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU, MAYOR HERRERA TO BE FOLLOWED BY WAN WYNN. MY NAME IS RA AND I'M A SENIOR SOCIAL SERVICE COORDINATOR WITH KIDS IN OF DEFENSE AT THE HOUSTON FIELD OFFICE. IN MY WORK, I SEE HOW THAT TRUST IS UNDERMINED WHEN IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT BECOMES ENTANGLED IN EVERYDAY WITH EVERYDAY LIFE. I'VE HAD CHILD CLIENTS FORCED INTO CAREGIVER ROLES FOR YOUNGER SIBLINGS AFTER PARENTS WERE DETAINED DURING ROUTINE MOMENTS LIKE STOPPING AT THE GROCERY STORE TO BUY MILK OR TRAVELING TO A MEDICAL APPOINTMENT. I'VE ALSO WORKED WITH CHILDREN WHO HESITATE TO REPORT BULLYING OR SEEK HELP FROM SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS BECAUSE THEY FEAR SCHOOL POLICE WILL INVOLVE ICE INSTEAD OF REACHING OUT, THEY STAY SILENT. THE SILENCE HAS REAL CONSEQUENCES WHEN FAMILIES THAT CONTACT WITH LAW. WHEN FAMILIES FEAR THAT CONTACT WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT COULD LEAD TO DETENTION OR DEPORTATION, THEY'RE LESS, FAR LESS LIKELY TO REPORT CRIMES, COOPERATE AS WITNESS OR ASK FOR HELP WHEN CHILDREN ARE YOUR TIME IS EXPIRED. THANK YOU [01:35:03] WAN WYNN TO BE FOLLOWED BY SCOTT SINGLETON. HI EVERYONE. UM, THIS MEETING HAS MORE ATTENDANCE THAN THE LAST ONE. SO I'D LIKE TO RECOUNT SOME OF THE EVENTS OF THE LAST ONE. IT WAS AFTER THE SESSION WHERE HALF MOST OF THE COUNCIL WALKED OUT. DESPITE MAYOR WHITMEYER SKIPPING HALF OF THE SPEAKERS, HE'S, I GUESS, DECIDING TO PLAY NICER THIS TIME. I GUESS IT'S SOME TYPE OF APOLOGY TOUR MEANT TO DISPEL US FROM THE FAILURES THAT HE'S HAD AS A MAYOR. SO AFTER THAT SESSION, THE PROCEEDING SESSION, THE MAYOR BLOCK HATED THE ENTIRE TERRACE OFF AND FORCED EVERYBODY THROUGH A SIDE LANE. I'M NOT SURE IF ANYBODY WAS AWARE. I'M NOT SURE IF ANYBODY ON CITY COUNCIL WAS AWARE OR IS HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS. UM, IT'S PROBABLY BECAUSE YOU DON'T GO IN THE SAME WAY AS US. YOU'RE PROBABLY BETTER THAN US. THAT'S WHY. UM, WHAT THEN PROCEEDED TO HAPPEN DURING THE MEETING IS THAT THE COUNCIL DID NOT ALLOW EVERYONE TO CLAP. SO WHILE PEOPLE ARE BEING KIDNAPPED, CHILDREN ARE LOCKED IN CAGES. WE WERE SUPPOSED TO DO THIS. WHAT IS THAT? WHAT IS THAT? AND SO THE REASON WHY WE'RE HERE IS NOT BECAUSE OF THE PROPOSITION. THE TWO REMEDIES IN THE PROPOSITION ARE BECAUSE OF WHAT THE MAYOR HAS DONE. HE'S VIOLATED THE FOURTH AMENDMENT AND HE'S UNDERMINED TRANSPARENCY IN THE CITY. THAT'S WHAT THOSE TWO ARE ADDRESSING. YOUR YOUR TIME IS YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. GLAD TO SEE Y'ALL LOVE EVENING SESSION. PEOPLE MORE ELOQUENT THAN I HAVE BEEN UP TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE SALINAS CAYMAN EMPOWERED WARNING AND IT'S, I'M NOT GONNA BE THE LAST IF ICE ICE'S EXTRA JUDICIAL OPPRESSION ISN'T ENOUGH TO MEET STEPHEN MILLER'S QUOTAS. WHY DOES THE CITY FEEL OBLIGED TO HAVE HPD HELP ICE WITH APOLOGIES TO NATIVE AMERICANS. WE'RE ALL FROM SOMEPLACE ELSE. HOUSTON, AS MUCH AS ANYWHERE HAS BENEFITED FROM AND DEPENDS ON ITS IMMIGRANTS. IF DALLAS CAN DO THE RIGHT THING, WHY CAN'T WE? THANK YOU OSVALDO OSVALDO LOPEZ DAVIS UZMAN TO BE FOLLOWED BY NORMA GONZALEZ. HI, GOOD EVENING. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS CAYMAN AND POLLARD, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS ORDINANCE. 'CAUSE LEMME TELL YOU, THIS POLICY IS A HELL OF A LOT BETTER THAN THE MAYOR'S CURRENT DOMINO'S PIZZA ASS ICE POLICY ARRIVES IN 30 MINUTES AND THEY'RE FREE MAYOR PAPA JOHN WHITMEYER. ANYWAY, I'D LIKE TO DIRECT THE REST OF MY SPEECH TO ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THE FENCE ABOUT VOTING. YES, VOTING TO PROTECT IMMIGRANT RESIDENTS IN A COUNTY WITH THE SECOND MOST IMMIGRANTS IN THE NATION WILL NOT HARM YOUR CAREER, EXCEPT IF YOU VOTE NO. JUST LIKE HOW VOTING AGAINST HERO 10 YEARS AGO COST DWIGHT BOYKINS HIS RETURN TO THE HORSE SHOE, AMONG OTHER THINGS, UH, AND ESPECIALLY IF YOU WON YOUR ELECTION BY SAY, 338 VOTES OR 2057 VOTES, JUST RANDOM NUMBERS. SO IF YOU'RE UP FOR REELECTION NEXT YEAR, BE PREPARED FOR BIG GLOSSY MAILERS WITH THE WORDS COUNCIL MEMBER YOUR NAME HERE VOTED TO PROTECT ICE VOTED AGAINST IMMIGRANTS. IF YOU WON'T VOTE YES OUT OF A SENSE OF HUMANITY, CHALK IT UP TO POLITICAL SURVIVAL BECAUSE VOTING, YO VOTING NO WILL HAVE SOMEONE ELSE IN YOUR SEAT. IN 2028, WE YOUR CONSTITUENTS, IMMIGRANTS AND THEIR CHILDREN AND RELATIVES AND FRIENDS BECAUSE THE NEIGHBORS WILL SEE TO IT. NORM, NORMA GONZALEZ, NORMA GONZALEZ, SANDRA PETERS, SMU ALI MASI TO BE FOLLOWED BY GILDA GON. HELLO, UH, MY NAME IS ALI ALI MASI, A FORMER, A REFUGEE AND NOW A PROUD CITIZEN GRASSROOTS ORGANIZER FROM UH, CWS. LAST SEPTEMBER, I ORGANIZED, UH, MEETING WITH POLLARD AND A CITY COUNCIL TIFFANY ABOUT THIS CASE BECAUSE WE SAW IT COMING LAST NOVEMBER, MY BROTHER-IN-LAW GOT ARRESTED FOR A TAIL BROKEN LIGHT THAT LEADING HIM FOR FOUR MONTH IN ICE DETENTION THAT COST US $17,000 [01:40:01] FOR BOND TO RELEASE HIM ACROSS HOUSTON. FAMILIES ARE LOSING THEIR SENSE OF FAITH AND SECURITY AND SAFETY. BUT TONIGHT WITH HOPE, WE LECTURE YOU TO VOTE AND TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY, AND THAT'S WHAT WE HOPE FOR. THANK YOU GILDA BAYGON TO BE FOLLOWED BY BARRETT MCNABB. MAYOR. COUNSEL, THIS IS NOT A QUESTION OF LOVE VERSUS HATE OR WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD YOU'RE FROM, WHAT COLOR YOU ARE, WHAT YOUR BACKGROUND IS. IT'S A QUESTION OF ENFORCING THE LAW AND NO ONE IN THIS ROOM, NONE BACK THERE. AND NONE OF YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DECIDE WHICH LAWS TO ENFORCE AND WHICH LAWS TO IGNORE. AND YOU KNOW, THIS IS A FEDERAL LAW. YOU DO NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO SUPERSEDE FEDERAL LAW. AND WHEN YOU TRY IT, YOU CAUSE CAN YOU ASK THEM PLEASE TO LET ME SPEAK? OH LORD. WHEN YOU INTERFERE, YOU CAUSE CONFUSION. YOU CAUSE LESS LAW ENFORCEMENT. WE'VE SEEN CITIES AS RECENTLY AS THE LAST WEEK AND A HALF WHERE A 18-YEAR-OLD LOYOLA UNIVERSITY FRESHMAN WAS MURDERED AS SHE TRIED TO RUN AWAY FROM A VENEZUELAN IMMIGRANT WHO HAD BEEN CAT CAUGHT TWICE AND RELEASED. WE DON'T WANT THAT IN HOUSTON UNLESS THERE WAS SOME KIND OF MASSIVE VOTER FRAUD. THE PEOPLE WHO ELECTED YOU WERE US CITIZENS, YOU SERVED US CITIZENS, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THAT'S WHO YOU'RE HERE TO SERVE. I ASK YOU YOUR TIME HAS PLEASE DO NOT ADOPT PROPOSITION A BARRETT BARRETT MCNABB BARRETT MCNABB KING CHILD WAYNE FROM COLLEGE STATION TO BE FOLLOWED BY SHAZA BRANCH. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS PENIA, A MASTER'S STUDENT IN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AT TEXAS A AND M. THERE'S AN URGENT DEMAND FOR INVESTING IN, UH, GENIUS SYSTEM IN VULNERABLE, VULNERABLE NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, IN , FOR EXAMPLE, A NORTHEAST, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS IN A NEIGHBORHOOD IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON. UM, PUTIN SOURCES ARE EVERYWHERE AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND EVEN A VERY MILD FLOOD CAN BRING CONTAMINATIONS AROUND ACROSS THE NEIGHBORHOODS. SO OVER 50% OF HOUSEHOLDS ARE UNDER THE EXPOSURE OF LADS AND IN SET, YES, THE AVERAGE LIFE EXPECTANCY IS 11 YEARS SHORTER THAN THE EV UH, THE HOUSTON AVERAGE. SO INVESTING IN J IS NOT ONLY ABOUT STORM WATER MANAGEMENT, BUT UM, PUBLIC HEALTH, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, AND THE ECO CIVIL RIGHTS TO EVERY SINGLE HOUSTONIAN. THANK YOU. IT IS SHAZA BRANCH MITCHELL COLLINS TO BE FOLLOWED BY ERIC GONZALEZ. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MITCHELL COLLINS. I'M A LIFELONG HOUSTONIAN AND CURRENT RESIDENT OF DISTRICT H. ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO, OUR STREET IN THE EAST END WAS UPDATED WITH NEW DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT ENDED UP KEEPING US AND OUR NEIGHBORS SAFE FROM FLOODING DURING HARVEY. WE ARE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR THIS AND GLAD TO SAY THAT THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ANY FLOODING ISSUES ON OUR STREET SINCE. I WISH THE SAME FOR THE REST OF MY NEIGHBORS IN SECOND WARD AND THIRD WARD AND FIFTH WARD. AND FOR ANYONE IN THIS CITY WHO LIVES ON A DISH LINE STREET THAT FLOODS EVERY TIME THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER EVENT. PERSONALLY, I BELIEVE EVERY HOUSTONIAN DESERVES TO BE ABLE TO FEEL SAFE AND DESERVES THE SAME LEVEL OF PROTECTION AGAINST FLOODING. MANY OF YOU IN YOUR CAMPAIGNS FOR THE OFFICES THAT YOU NOW HOLD MADE PROMISES TO KEEP HOUSTON SAFE. IF YOU FAIL TO INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE THERE WILL HELP PROTECT THE MOST IMPACTED AND MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES FROM FLOODING. YOU HAVE FAILED IN YOUR DUTY TO KEEP US ALL SAFE AND YOU WILL HAVE FAILED TO MEET THE PROMISES YOU CAMPAIGNED ON. WE LEAVE AN INCREASINGLY FLOOD PRONE CITY. FAILURE TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM WILL ONLY MAKE IT MORE DANGEROUS. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. I ASK THAT YOU DO YOUR DUTY AND FULLY FUND THE DITCH REASSESSMENT PROGRAM WITH 45 MILLION IN THE FY 2027 BUDGET. THANK YOU. [01:45:01] UH, HELLO. UH, MY NAME IS ERIC GONZALEZ. UH, I'M A WORKER, STUDENT AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZER AND DISTRICT F I'M HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT OF FLOOD INFRASTRUCTURE AND TO ASK THAT THE DITCH REESTABLISHMENT PROGRAM BE FULLY FUNDED IN THE 2027 FISCAL BUDGET. I'VE SEEN FAR TOO MANY FAMILIES, PARTICULARLY THOSE IN DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES BEING AT THE FOREFRONT OF EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS THAT WE AS A CITY SIMPLY WEREN'T PREPARED FOR. BUT IT'S SIMPLY NOT JUST EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS THAT IMPACT US. WE'VE SEEN HOW SMALL RAIN, UH, EVENTS, UH, CAN, UH, FLOOD THE STREETS AND SIDEWALKS. UM, AND THIS ISN'T JUST DANGEROUS FOR DRIVERS, BUT MADE SIDEWALKS INTRO IRREVERSIBLE FOR, UH, PEDESTRIANS, YOU JUST LITERALLY CAN'T PASS SOMETIMES. UM, WE CAN'T CONTROL THESE WEATHER EVENTS, BUT AS A CITY, AS PROSPEROUS AS HOUSTON, WE DEFINITELY CAN INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT PREPARES US FOR THEM. OUR CITIZENS DESERVE TO FEEL SAFE AND SECURE IN THEIR HOMES. AND I JUST WANT TO ADD THIS AS ALSO EXTENDS TO HPD COLLABORATION WITH ICE, WHICH I URGE YOU TO VOTE AGAINST. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS? YES. I'D LIKE TO ADD NICK VAUGHN TO THE END OF THE ONE MINUTE LIST. SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAME WILL PASS. OKAY. YEAH. MADISON HESSER. YES. HELLO, MY NAME IS MADISON HESSER. I'M A SENIOR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE STUDENT AT TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY. FOR MY CAPSTONE PROJECT, WE WERE WORKING WITH TEXAS TARGET COMMUNITIES TO WORK WITH A NEIGHBORHOOD CALLED CGAS. AND WHEN WE WENT DOWN THERE, SOMETHING WE NOTICED IMMEDIATELY THAT THE FLOOD INFRASTRUCTURE WAS NOT SUFFICIENT. IT WAS NOT. WHAT WE HAD BEEN TAUGHT WAS UP TO STANDARD AND CODE FOR AREAS THAT WERE AT RISK FOR FLOOD EVENTS. IT IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED ON. THE PEOPLE IN SGAS ESPECIALLY ALREADY DEAL WITH SO MANY HEALTH ISSUES. THEIR SOIL IS FLOODED WITH LEAD, XYLENE, ARSENIC, AND CREOSOTE, WHICH IS CAUSING SIGNIFICANT HEALTH ISSUES. WHEN THIS FLOODING EVENT HAPPENS, THERE IS GOING TO BE ALL SORTS OF CONTAMINANTS FLUSHED INTO PEOPLE'S HOUSES. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO COME AWAY FROM THAT EVENT HEALTHY. AND SO I CALL ON THE CITY COUNCIL TONIGHT TO LOOK INTO THE DITCH REESTABLISHMENT PROGRAM SO THAT YOU CAN FULLY FUND THE REPAIR OF THESE SWALES SO THAT THEY CAN BE UP TO CODE SO THAT THE PEOPLE IN ALL THESE COMMUNITIES CAN HAVE THE SAME ACCESS AND EQUITY FOR FLOOD INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THE REST OF THE PEOPLE NEED. THANK YOU. HAVE A GOOD EVENING. MY, MY ONE DANA JONES. MA'S HERE. MA'S HERE. OKAY. MY WANT TO BE FOLLOWED BY DANA JONES. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. UH, MY NAME IS . UH, I'M LIVING BY THE SHOP TOWNS AREA AND UH, I AM NOT A NATIVE AMERICAN, SO MY LANGUAGE PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT ACCENT. I'M SORRY FOR THAT. HOWEVER, MY CONCERN IS THE FLOOD ISSUES IN THE HOUSTON AREA, MAINLY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UH, I AM VISUALLY IMPAIRED, HOWEVER, I'M NOT, I'M NOT DEAF. I STILL CAN HEAR AND I CAN OBSERVE MY OTHER SENSES. AND I FOUND THAT, UH, VOTING IS A BIG ISSUE IN THE, IN OUR CITY ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE IN THE NORTHEAST AREA ALSO IN MY AREA AS WELL. AND, UM, AFTER MAJOR CRISIS FLOODING AND I FOUND THAT THERE ARE PLACES THAT, UH, WE PEOPLE AND DEAL WITH THE FLOODING ISSUES. SO I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON, YOUR YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. YEAH, THANK YOU. SHOULD COMMIT THEIR, UH, EFFORT TO HELP US TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THANK YOU. DANA JONES TO BE FOLLOWED BY JAMES JONES. HELLO, MY NAME IS DANA JONES AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT EIGHT. MANY OF MY FLOODING IS A VERY SERIOUS AND ONGOING ISSUE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. MANY OF MY, UM, OF THE PEOPLE IN MY COMMUNITY HAVE MOVED OUT SIMPLY OUT OF FEAR OF THEIR FAMILY BEING TARGETED. [01:50:01] THIS YEAR, COUNCIL VOTED TO TAKE $30 MILLION FROM THE DRAINAGE FUND AND REDIRECTED TOWARD REMOVING DANGEROUS BUILDING. I UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO ADDRESS THE UNSAFE STRUCTURES, BUT I WANNA HIGHLIGHT CRITICAL CONCERNS OF THE PEOPLE FLOODING, DRAINAGE AND HOUSING. THE WORKING POOR SENIORS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN OUR COMMUNITIES ARE NOT ASKING FOR LUXURIES. THEY'RE SIMPLY TRYING TO SURVIVE YOU. OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS NEED TO HEAR THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE AND RESPOND TO WHAT THEY ARE TELLING YOU WHAT THEY NEED. I HOPE THIS YEAR'S BUDGET WILL INCLUDE THE PUBLIC'S NEEDS AND NOT THE DESIRES OF THE FEW. THE MONEY ALLOCATED FOR SPECIFIC THINGS SHOULD GO WHERE IT'S DESIGNATED FIRE. YOUR TIME HAS MONEY SHOULD BE PUT TOWARDS THIS. I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE HELP THAT I'VE GOTTEN, BUT THE LARGER DRAINER, THE LARGER PROBLEM IS DRAINAGE. WE NEED TO, TO ADDRESS THE REAL LONG TERM SOLUTIONS AND THE FLOODING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, NOT JUST TEMPORARY FIXES. I WANT TO END WITH A QUOTE FROM THE, UH, FROM MARVIN LER. IT'S HELL TO BE POOR. HELLO, HOW Y'ALL DOING TODAY? MY NAME IS JAMES JONES. I REPRESENT FOR GOD AND OUR GOD CREATIONS. I GOT A SOLUTION FOR ALL THESE PROBLEMS AND I'M READY TO STOP ICING THIS TRACKS. YOU KNOW, WE GOTTA BRING THE TRUTH TO REALITY AND THIS WORLD BEEN LIVING ON A LOT OF LIES AND AND FOOLISHNESS. AND I GOT A SOLUTION FOR ALL THE FOOLISHNESS THAT'S GOING ON IN ALL THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES. WITH MY CITY CLEAN UP. I STARTED WARM WITH TURNER AND I MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND SO NOW IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE. AND THANK YOU. AND Y'ALL HAVE A BLESSED DAY. TRACY HAMLIN TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALI ALI KAHN. UH, MAYOR COUNCIL. MY NAME IS TRACY HAMLIN. I LIVE IN DISTRICT. I, UH, FIRST OFF, I SUPPORT LIMITING NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS. UH, THAT SAID, FOR YEARS RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN TOLD AUSTERITY IS NECESSARY, BUT IN PRACTICE IT'S LEFT OUR CITY UNDERSTAFFED AND STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP WITH BASIC SERVICES. HIRING FREEZES FOR CITY WORKERS ARE NOT A NEUTRAL BUDGET DECISION. THEY DIRECTLY IMPACT SERVICE QUALITY WHEN DEPARTMENTS LACK SUFFICIENT STAFF RESPONSE TIME. SLOW MAINTENANCE IS DELAYED AND SMALL ISSUES GROW INTO LARGER MORE EXPENSIVE PROBLEMS. LIFTING THE HIRING FREEZES IS NOT A LUXURY. IT IS ESSENTIAL TO MAINTAINING RELIABLE SERVICES AND ENSURING OUR CITY CAN MEET THE NEEDS OF ITS RESIDENTS. TONIGHT I'M ASKING FOR CONCRETE ACTION AND AUSTERITY BUDGETING THAT UNDERMINES ESSENTIAL SERVICES. LIFT THE HIRING, FREEZES AND RESTORE FULL STAFFING ACROSS THE DEPARTMENTS. THESE ARE NOT RADICAL DEMANDS THAT THE MINIMUM STANDARD FOR RESPONSIBLE GOVERNANCE. THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY ARE NOT ASKING FOR EXTRAVAGANCE. WE'RE ASKING FOR COMPETENCE, TRANSPARENCY, AND FOLLOW THROUGH. WE'RE ASKING FOR A CITY THAT WORKS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. ALI ALI KHAN. I AM STEVEN VARGAS TO BE FOLLOWED BY CRYSTAL TOWNSEND. EVENING CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'M STEVEN VARGAS FROM DISTRICT GI WAS HERE LAST FALL ASKING FOR Y'ALL TO CONSIDER, UH, CREATING AN HIV LINE ITEM IN THE CITY BUDGET TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT ARE ARISING RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE A LOT OF CHANGES HAPPENING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, WHICH ALSO AFFECT OUR STATE LEVEL AND IT'S CREATING GAPS IN CARE AND PREVENTION AND CARE. AND SO WE NEED OUR CITY. WE NEED ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT TO START HELPING OUT WITH. SO WITH A CITY LINE ITEM BUDGET, THAT SHOULD HELP US OUT TREMENDOUSLY TO ADDRESSING THE GAPS THAT ARE CREATED INADVERTENTLY BY WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL LEVEL. AND I HAVE TO STAND HERE AND THANK UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS AND POLLARD AND CAYMANS BECAUSE WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO CAN ALSO EASE THE PRESSURES ON PEOPLE'S FEARS FOR ACCESSING THEIR MEDICAL CARE. SO PLEASE, EACH CITY COUNCIL MEMBER SUPPORT THAT MEASURE. WE ARE WATCHING TO SEE WHO DOES AND WE'RE WATCHING TO SEE WHO DOESN'T. WHEN IT COMES TO PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV, THERE'S CLOSE TO 40,000 PEOPLE IN HOUSTON ALONE LIVING WITH HIV. WE CAN BE A VOTING BLOCK. REMEMBER THAT? THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS CRYSTAL TOWNSEND. I AM A HOUSTONIAN AND OH, SORRY. MY NAME IS CRYSTAL TOWNSEND. I'M A HOUSTONIAN AND ALSO THE ORGANIZING DIRECTOR AT POSITIVE WOMEN'S NETWORK. USA. WE PREPARE AND SUPPORT ALL WOMEN, TRANS AND CIS WOMEN, GENDER DIVERSE PEOPLE, [01:55:01] AND TRANSGENDER PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV TO BE EFFECTIVE ADVOCATES AND LEADERS. I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO ROHAN FOR INVITING US HERE, UH, TO STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS. AND I'VE BEEN LISTENING AND I STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE COMMUNITY ASKING FOR CLEARER AND FAIR POLICIES AND NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS AND SEPARATING ICE FROM HPD BECAUSE WE DON'T LIVE SINGLE ISSUE LIVES. I THINK YOU HEARD STEVENS TALK ABOUT PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV. IN FACT, WHEN PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV ENCOUNTER LAW ENFORCEMENT, THEY ARE OFTEN SUBJECTED TO WORSE TREATMENT AND ENHANCED CRIMINAL CHARGES BECAUSE OF THEIR HIV STATUS. THAT IS NOT RIGHT. INSTEAD OF WASTING TAXPAYER DOLLARS, WE'RE ASKING FOR YOU TO INVEST IN PUBLIC SERVICES, PARTICULARLY FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH THEIR WITH HIVI KNOW THIS IS POSSIBLE. YOUR TIME IS EXPIRED. I'M ALMOST DONE. I KNOW THIS IS POSSIBLE. THE LATE COUNCILWOMAN ADA EDWARDS MADE THIS HAPPEN IN THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS AND WE'RE ASKING FOR ONE OF YOU TO STEP UP AND MEET WITH US IN THE TEXAS STRIKE FORCE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ELENA FERGUSON TO BE FOLLOWED BY EVELIO ESCA. UM, GOOD EVENING CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. UH, MY NAME IS ELENA FERGUSON AND I'M A DISTRICT K RESIDENT. I CURRENTLY SERVE AS A POLICY SPECIALIST AT POSITIVE WOMEN'S NETWORK, A NATIONAL MEMBERSHIP BODY LED BY AND FORT WOMEN GENDER DIVERSE PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV ACCORDING TO A 2024 REPORT DONE BY THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT, HOUSTON HAS HIGHER RATES OF NEW HIV DIAGNOSES AND HIV PREVALENCE COMPARED TO TEXAS AND THE GREATER US. YET THERE HAS NEVER BEEN DEDICATED LINE ITEM IN THE GENERAL FUND OF OUR CITY'S BUDGET FOR HIV TREATMENT AND PREVENTION SERVICES AT THE TIME OF INCREASING UNCERTAINTY IN FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING. THIS LEAVES OUR LOCAL HIV RESPONSE VULNERABLE TO DELAYS, CUTS AND SERVICE DISRUPTIONS. WITHOUT A CITY INVESTMENT, THERE IS NO BUFFER. WHEN STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING GAPS OCCUR, THIS CITY MUST USE EVERY LEVER OF POWER TO ENSURE CONSISTENT AND ROBUST ACCESS TO CARE AND TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR THE ESTIMATED 32,000 HOUSTONIANS LIVING WITH HIV, REGARDLESS OF THEIR INCOME, IMMIGRATION STATUS OR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT THEY LIVE IN. THANK YOU. YOUR YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. HELLO, MY NAME IS EVELIO CAMILLA SALINA ESCAMILLA. UM, OF COURSE I SUPPORT PROPE. IT'S AN EASY VOTE. COME ON . WE ALL LIVE HERE TOGETHER. UH, BUT I'M HERE ALSO TO ALSO SUPPORT MY COLLEAGUES, UH, STEVEN VARGAS AND, UH, THE POSITIVE WOMEN'S NETWORK. I HAVE THE DATA HERE HOW HOUSTON HARRIS COUNTY RANKS AND AMONG OTHER TEXAS MAJOR CITIES AMONG HISPANICS. I WORK FOR A HISPANIC AGENCY, SO WE DO A LOT OF WORK ON, ON NUMBERS AND WE'RE FALLING BEHIND. WE'RE NOT DOING THAT. GREAT. SO WE HAVE THE AIDS WALK ON THIS APRIL 18TH. I WANT YOU ALL TO SHOW UP AND WALK WITH US AND SUPPORT US. PREVENTION IS THE ROLE OF THE CITY. THE COUNTY DOES CARE. THE ROLE OF PREVENTION IS THE CITY. OTHER STATE, OTHER STATE. THE STATE AND MAJOR OTHER MAJOR CITIES ACROSS THE STATE HAVE AN ADDICTION TO FEDERAL FUNDS. THIS IS QUITE OBVIOUS. YOU GUYS ARE ADDICTED TO FEDERAL FUNDS. YOU DON'T WANNA PITCH IN. WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO MAKE IT MUCH MORE AFFORDABLE. CARE. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED AND SERVICES. THANK YOU. HIV AND AGING SUCKS. I'VE BEEN LIVING WITH THE VIRUS FOR 15 YEARS AND IT'S NOT, IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO TALK ABOUT THIS TOPIC. OH DEAR. SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE REALLY ADDRESS THIS ISSUE ALTOGETHER AS ONE. THANK YOU FOR BEING COUNCILMAN JUST TO YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR. I WANT TO THANK YOU AND, AND THE OTHERS WHO HAVE COME TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS. UM, YOU KNOW, MY BACKGROUND IS PUBLIC HEALTH AND I WANT TO, UH, LET YOU KNOW THAT I'M GONNA REACH OUT TO CRYSTAL AND, UH, GET SOME TIME TO MEET WITH Y'ALL TO FURTHER DISCUSS SPECIFICALLY WHAT IT IS YOU'D LIKE TO SEE FROM THE CITY AND HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH Y'ALL. THE CITY GETS MONEY, BUT THE THING IS THAT YOU, YOU HAVE TO WORK MORE ON MESSAGING AND THERE'S GAPS IN, IN MESSAGING AND HOW TO DELIVER THOSE SERVICES. AND OF COURSE THERE'S BEEN CUTS FROM THE FEDERAL FUNDS ON ON MANY THINGS AND WE'RE JUST ADDICTED TO FEDERAL FUNDS AND WE NEED TO WORK BETTER ON THAT. THANK YOU. DID YOU HAVE A PROCEDURAL MOTION? YES. I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD JACOB CLEMENTE TO THE BOTTOM OF SPEAKER'S LIST. SECOND. SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. MAY [02:00:01] I BEGIN? OKAY. HI, MY NAME IS MEREDITH MOORE. I'M A CONSTITUENT OF DISTRICT C AS A TEACHER, I KNOW THAT FOR A CHILD TO DEVELOP AND SUCCEED, THEY NEED SAFETY AND BELONGING IN THE CITY. THAT LEADS THE NATION'S ICE ARREST IN LARGE PART DUE TO HPDS COLLABORATION WITH ICE DURING TRAFFIC STOPS. WHAT DOES SAFETY AND BELONGING LOOK LIKE FOR OUR KIDS? IT LOOKS LIKE ME HOLDING A CRYING TEENAGER WHILE SHE TELLS ME ABOUT HER MOST RECENT NIGHTMARE THAT HER PARENTS ARE GONE. IT LOOKS LIKE STUDENTS TYPING F**K ICE INTO THEIR GRAPHING CALCULATORS INSTEAD OF THEIR LINEAR FUNCTIONS. IT LOOKS LIKE GROWING ABSENCES IN MY GRADE BOOK. AS MORE AND MORE FAMILIES ARE AFRAID TO LEAVE HOME. REMOVING THE FIRST PROVISION FROM SALINAS'S PROP A TELLS OUR CHILDREN THAT Y'ALL DON'T EVEN CARE IF THERE'S A JUDGE'S SIGNATURE BEFORE YOU TEAR THEIR LIVES APART. HOW'S THAT FOR SAFETY AND BELONGING? BY PASSING PROP A WITHOUT THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE, YOU ARE SOWING TERROR WHERE EDUCATORS ARE TRYING TO SOW SEATS AND HBDS COLLABORATION WITH ICE AND PASS PROP A WITH ITS ORIGINAL LANGUAGE. THANK YOU DARYL HARPER RYAN, RYAN SCHOENBERG, RACHEL REYNOLDS. I'M TRYING TO SEE TO BE FOLLOWED BY BRIDGET LAND. HELLO, MY NAME IS RACHEL REYNOLDS. I'M HERE TODAY TO ADVOCATE FOR THE USAGE OF NATIVE PLANTS AND TREES ON THE CITY APPROVED LIST. I APPROACHED THIS COUNCIL BACK IN OCTOBER, 2024 TO PROPOSE CHANGING THE LIST. I GOT GREAT RESPONSE. EVERYONE SEEMED TO BE IN AGREEMENT. THE LIST NEEDS TO BE UPDATED. PARKS AND REC SHARED WITH ME THEIR OWN LIST WITH NATIVE PLANT CHOICES. BUT THE OLD LIST IS STILL IN THE CODE OF ORDINANCES. LAST TIME I APPROACHED THE COUNCIL WITH CASUAL CURIOSITY, BUT THIS TIME I'M CHOOSING MY WORDS MORE CAREFULLY. 'CAUSE THE GRAVITY OF THIS SITUATION COULD NOT BE MORE SERIOUS. INVASIVE, POISONOUS PLANTS THAT ARE HARMFUL TO OUR ENVIRONMENT ARE BEING PLANTED UNDER THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CITY. NATIVE PLANTS CONSUME LESS RESOURCES, LESS WATER, FERTILIZER, NO PESTICIDES. WE ARE ACTIVELY WASTING MONEY AND RESOURCES IN MAKING THE WRONG PLANT CHOICES. THE ROOT SYSTEMS OF NATIVE PLANTS ARE ALSO SUITED TO OUR REGION, THE GULF COAST PRAIRIE. THESE PLANTS HAVE DEEP ROOTS THAT PREVENT EROSION AND SOAK UP WATER LIKE SPONGES. I DON'T EVEN HAVE TO MENTION THE FLOODING PROBLEM IN HOUSTON BECAUSE OTHERS ALREADY DID. BUT I'M LOOKING AT PART OF THE PROBLEM OR WHAT COULD BE PART OF THE SOLUTION RIGHT HERE. I WILL NOT REST UNTIL THESE LISTS ARE UPDATED. I'M A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN AND MY LIFE HAS BEEN CHANGED BY YOUR, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU BRIDGET LAND LLOYD FORD TO BE FOLLOWED BY LINDSEY WILLIAMS. HELLO EVERYBODY. LORD FORD AGAIN. I SAY THIS PROPOSITION I BELIEVE IS ABOUT SOLUTIONS. UM, I WOULD COMMEND EVEN THE COUNCIL MEMBER THAT BEEN HERE FOR ONLY A COUPLE MONTHS TO HAVE THE BALLS TO PUT IT FORWARD FOR HER COMMUNITY. I WOULD SAY THIS, WHERE IS OUR CORNER STORE ORDINANCE FOR OUR BLACK COMMUNITY? WHERE IS OUR DILAPIDATED, UH, BUILDINGS FOR OUR COMMUNITY? IT AIN'T ROCKET SCIENCE. WHEN SHE SEEN THE ISSUE, SHE PUT SOMETHING FORTH IN ORDER TO TO FA SOLUTION. WHEN WHI MAYA SEEN SOMETHING FOR HIS COMMUNITY, GUESS WHAT? HE PROPOSED AN ORDINANCE TO PASS IT FOR HIS COMMUNITY. WHEREAS OURS, IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE. WHEN IF RIVER OAKS HAD DILAPIDATED BUILDINGS AND, AND UH, CORNER STORES THAT WAS OVERRUN IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, WELL WHAT THEY DO, THAT'S HOW SIMPLE WE GOTTA THINK ABOUT IT. AND WE DON'T DO THAT FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AND GUESS WHAT? WHEN ALL MY SUPPORTERS ARE ASKING FOR SOLUTIONS OR ASKING WHO WE SUPPORTING FOR THESE, LIKE THEY SAY THESE NEXT ELECTIONS THAT'S COMING UP, GUESS WHAT WE LOOKING AT? WHO'S PUTTING FORWARD SOLUTIONS FOR OUR COMMUNITY AT THE SAME TIME? AND THEN AGAIN, I THINK THIS PROPOSITION SHOULD BE FOR EVERYBODY. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. SIR, IF YOU COULD SERVE COUNCIL LINA, SIR, I JUST WANTED MY POLICY DIRECTOR'S STANDING BACK THERE. AND IF YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT ANY POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS YOU WANT US TO PUSH FORWARD, LET'S HAVE A CONVERSATION FOR SURE. I'LL MAKE SURE MY SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD KNOW. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, LINDSEY WILLIAMS TO BE FOLLOWED BY PAULINE CHEATHAM. HI EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS LINDSEY WILLIAMS AND I'M SPEAKING TODAY AS AN EASTON RESIDENT, NOT AS A CIVIC LEADER AND NOT AS A SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD PRESIDENT, JUST A NEIGHBOR AND A SIXTH [02:05:01] GENERATION TEXAN SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD. 64 AND 88 HAS VOTED TO SUPPORT THE ORDINANCE CLARIFYING HPD PROCESSES WITH ICE IN ITS ORIGINAL FORM. AND I WANT TO EXPLAIN WHY THAT MATTERS TO ME. OUR RESIDENTS ARE TALKING TO US. THEY TELL US THAT THEY ARE AFRAID. THEY'RE AFRAID TO CALL 9 1 1 AFRAID TO REPORT A CRIME OR EVEN USE 3 1 1, DESPITE EXPLAINING THAT THERE'S NO RISK IN USING 3 1 1. THEY'RE AFRAID THAT ROUTINE TRAFFIC STOP WILL NOT END THE WAY IT SHOULD. AND THAT FEAR HAS REAL CONSEQUENCES FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, NOT JUST FOR OUR IMMIGRANT FAMILIES, BUT FOR EVERY ONE OF US WHO DEPEND ON NEIGHBORS FEELING SAFE ENOUGH TO SPEAK UP. PERSONALLY, I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE PEOPLE I LIVE NEXT TO. GOOD PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO CONTRIBUTE TO THE CITY EVERY DAY. IT IS MY JOB AS A SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD PRESIDENT TO FOSTER A SAFE ENVIRONMENT, A ROLE I TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY NO MATTER WHERE SOMEBODY COMES FROM THEIR LANGUAGE AT HOME OR THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN. THIS ORDINANCE DOESN'T ASK HOUSTON TO DO ANYTHING RADICAL. AND I URGE YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU. PAULINE CHEATHAM. THEODORE CARRERO HERE TO BE FOLLOWED BY RICHARD SCHWAGER. UH, THERE THERE USED TO BE A GENTLEMAN THAT HANDS OUT EVERYTHING. UH, YOU GUYS HAVE A COPY OF THE PRESENTATION. HAPPY NEW YEAR. UM, TO THE ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL ESPECIALLY, UH, MRS. SALINAS. I WAS ASKED BY A METROPOLITAN TRANSIT AUTHORITY BUS DRIVER, UH, MARRIED TO A GERMAN BORN MIGRANT. OUR QUESTION IS, OH, THE TOPIC IS JUST TO, UH, INTERJECT, UH, BATHROOMS. UH, WHY DOES THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, AMONGST ALL DISTRICTS, UH, UH, ARE IN CONTROL OF HARRIS COUNTY? WHY ARE WE NOT MEETING THE BASIC NEEDS OF OUR CUSTOMERS HAVING BATHROOM FACILITIES AVAILABLE? THE QUESTION PERTAINS TO METRO TRANSIT AUTHORITY, TRANSIT CENTERS AND HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION. WHY ARE UH, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BRAINSTORMING, TROUBLESHOOTING AND PROBLEM SOLVING, UH, THAT WE COULD DO TO SOLVE MEETING THE BASIC NEEDS AS MANY OF Y'ALL MIGHT KNOW, ARE HOUSTON MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER TOLD ME, KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING. OPPORTUNITIES WILL BE PRESENTING THEMSELVES IN THE FUTURE. COULD THIS BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO MEET THE ADDRESS OF LACK OF PUBLIC RESTROOMS? I HAVE ATTACHED TWO GOOGLE OVER, UH, OVERVIEWS OF WHAT WE FIND WHEN WE TYPE IN METRO TRANSIT AUTHORITY. BATHROOMS. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. MY TIME HAS EXPIRED. HAPPY EASTER. RICHARD SCHWAGER, STEVE WILLIAMS. OH, HE'S NOT HERE. CESAR ESPINOSA TO BE FOLLOWED BY MARIAN WRIGHT. HELLO. UM, MY NAME IS ESA ESPINOZA AND I'M EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF YALE. I FEEL LIKE WE'VE MADE, UM, SOME PROGRESS FROM THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. 'CAUSE NOT ONLY DID WE FINALLY COME CLEAN TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT IN FACT HOUSTON IS COLLABORATING WITH US. AFTER ALL OF THESE PEOPLE WERE TELLING CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR THAT THAT WAS HAPPENING. BUT THAT SOMETHING FINALLY COMES FORWARD. I UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, THE, UH, OVERLY PAID, UH, CITY ATTORNEY, UH, HAS FOUND AN ISSUE WITH THIS. UH, BUT I THINK WHAT WE ARE ALL ASKING IS FOR CITY COUNCIL TO SHOW LEADERSHIP, TRUE LEADERSHIP AND MOVE FORWARD WITH WHAT THESE FOLKS ARE ASKING, WITH WHAT WE'RE ASKING, UH, TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE, UH, SOME SORT OF HELP AND REPRIEVE, UH, TO THE, TO THE CALLS. UH, AND I'LL, I'LL SHARE THIS WITH YOU AND I'VE BEEN SHARING THIS WITH EVERYBODY. IN 2023 FIELD RECEIVED 23 INTAKES FOR DEPORTATION DEFENSE. IN 2025 WE RECEIVED 20. YOUR TIME EXPIRED. 859. THAT'S NOT AN ACCIDENT. HI. UM, MY NAME'S MARIAN WRIGHT. UM, I ATTENDED A SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 51 WITH MARIO CASTILLO, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, WHO'S MY COUNCIL MEMBER. AND IT HAPPENED THAT, UM, ALSO THE CHIEF DIAZ WAS THERE. WHAT I FIND VERY INTERESTING ABOUT THAT MEETING IS THEY WERE ASKING CHIEF DIAZ MANY QUESTIONS, WHATEVER ANYBODY WANTED TO. NOT ONE PERSON BROUGHT UP THIS AMENDMENT, THIS PROPOSITION. IT WASN'T EVEN ON ANYONE'S RADAR. WHAT PEOPLE WERE WORRIED [02:10:01] ABOUT WAS CRIME, HOMELESSNESS, DOGS. AM I MISSING ANYTHING? I THINK THOSE WERE THE MAJOR THINGS. OKAY. THIS IS AN ECHO CHAMBER. THESE ARE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS. A LOT OF THEM THAT ARE HERE. WHEN I ASKED COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS, I MET WITH HER AND I SAID, HAVE YOU GONE TO THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS? HAVE YOU TALKED TO THE COMMUNITY? HAVE YOU MET WITH HOUSTONIANS AND SPOKEN WITH THEM? HER LIST OF SUPPORT GROUPS, THESE ARE ALL SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS. THEY'RE ALL SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS. SHE'S CALLING THIS A MOVEMENT. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. WE NEED TO SPEAK TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS. WE NEED TO SPEAK TO HOUSTONIANS AND WE NEED TO STOP HAVING PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE NOT ALLOW EVERYBODY TO SPEAK. IT'S NOT RIGHT. THANK YOU. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. WE ALL HAVE A RIGHT TO SPEAK AND THIS HAS TO STOP. IT JUST HAS TO STOP. ITS RIGHT. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU COUNCIL. OKAY. UM, ONE MOMENT. OH, NEVERMIND. OH, THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. THANK YOU. LISA HUNT. GOOD EVENING. I'M LISA HUNT AND I COME TO YOU THIS EVENING AS AN EPISCOPAL PRIEST TO ADVOCATE FOR THE PASSAGE OF PROP A CLARIFYING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ICE. THIS YEAR THE JEWISH OBSERVANCE OF PASSOVER COINCIDES WITH THE CHRISTIAN OBSERVANCE OF HOLY WEEK. BOTH HOLIDAYS COMMEMORATE THE MOVEMENT OF GOD TO LIBERATE PEOPLE FROM OPPRESSION AT THE HANDS OF POWER. IN THE PASSOVER, GOD DEMANDED TO LET MY PEOPLE GO, THAT MET WITH THE RESISTANCE FROM A PHARAOH WHO THOUGHT HE WAS GOD UNTIL HE WAS DEFEATED AT THE RED SEA. SIMILARLY, DURING HOLY WEEK, CHRISTIANS REMEMBER THE POWER OF CAESAR IN THE PERSON OF CONSCIOUS PILATE TO OPPRESS AND KILL THOSE WHO QUESTION THE MORALS OF EMPIRE. IN CONTRAST TO THE POWER OF GOD. TO FREE US FROM THE VALUES OF DEATH. TODAY, FEDERAL AND STATE POLICIES SEEK TO CRIMINALIZE IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES AND TO REQUIRE CITIES LIKE HOUSTON TO COLLABORATE WITH THEIR CRUEL AND OPPRESSIVE DICTATES, THESE POLICIES ARE A MORAL OFFENSE. AND TO THE UNITED STATES INSTITUTION, YOUR TIME HAS FINE. LET OUR PEOPLE GO PAST THIS ORDINANCE. MA'AM, HOLD ON ONE SECOND MA'AM. OKAY, SORRY. NEVERMIND. NEXT SPEAKER. OH, THANK YOU SARAH SAEED TO BE FOLLOWED BY RAINN EMAN. I AM SARA SAED, POLICY MANAGER AT WOODY JUNTOS. UH, THE PROPOSITION, A PROCESS DID NOT INCLUDE A LEGAL REVIEW COMPONENT AND THIS WAS LATER CODIFIED BY THIS COUNCIL. THIS MEANS YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO AMEND THE PROPOSITION, A PROCESS OR CHALLENGE THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OPINION. MANY OF US HAVE RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT NON TRAFFIC STOPS, UNCHECKED, OFFICER DISCRETION, FOURTH AMENDMENT VIOLATIONS AND THEIR IMPACT. YOU HAVE BEEN PROVIDED COMMUNITY TESTIMONY, YOUR OWN DATA, AND ASKED QUESTIONS. A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, I ASKED YOU WHAT YOUR PLAN WAS FOR US BEFORE AND ITS INTERACTION WITH ICE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT UNFOLDING IN OUR CITY. AND WE'VE ALREADY SEEN THE CONSEQUENCES. EVERY TIME POLICE AND ICE COLLABORATE TOGETHER, THEY'RE TAKING A PAGE FROM THE ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCE PRACTICES BECAUSE THEY'RE TRAINED BY THEM. WE'VE SEEN UNNECESSARY ARRESTS, RISING LEGAL COSTS FOR FAMILIES, INCREASED DETENTIONS, LEAVING FAMILIES UNSURE OF WHERE THEIR LOVED ONES EVEN ARE. JAIL OVERCROWDING AND VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT ARE AFRAID TO COME FORWARD. AND TODAY I'M ASKING HOW WILL YOU CHANGE THESE POLICIES? WILL YOU STRENGTHEN THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF THIS ORDINANCE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS AND HELP IT MOVE FORWARD? YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANKS. RAIN RAINMAN. RAIN EMAN. RANDALL CALLANAN. HI BOWIE. LINDSEY BURROWS TO BE FOLLOWED BY THOMAS SUTHERLAND. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS LINDSEY BURROWS. UH, I'M NOT A LAWYER BUT I THINK YOU NEED TO REEVALUATE THE CITY LAWYER. THERE IS A REASON WHY DALLAS AND AUSTIN AND THE OTHER CITIES ARE LITERALLY NOT ALLOWING OR YOU KNOW, THEY IMPLEMENTED THE DISCRETIONARY POLICIES REGARDING THE ICE ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANTS. I THOUGHT WE WERE BETTER THAN DALLAS. EVERYONE IN HERE THINKS WE'RE BETTER THAN DALLAS. APPARENTLY WE'RE NOT. THAT'S A LITTLE CRAZY. THESE CITIES OPERATE UNDER THE SAME [02:15:01] STATE LAW THAT HOUSTON DOES. SO WHY HAS OUR CITY ATTORNEY REMOVED THIS PROVISION? WE DEMAND THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY RELEASE THEIR RULING TO THE PUBLIC. I'M ALSO ASKING FOR THE ORIGINAL PROP. A IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE INTRODUCED BY CITY COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS AS IT WAS WRITTEN WITH ALL THREE PROVISIONS INTACT. ELIMINATING THE PROLONGING OF TRAFFIC STOPS, REQUIRING PERIODIC TRANSPARENT REPORTS FROM HPD AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, GRANTING OFFICERS THE DISCRETION TO NOT CONTACT FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES ON THE BASIS OF THESE ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANTS ALONE. THANK YOU THOMAS SUTHER. OH, TO BE FOLLOW, FOLLOWED BY CAROLINA MARTINEZ. GOOD EVENING. I HAVE TESTIFIED SEVERAL TIMES IN FRONT OF THIS BODY SPEAKING ON THE VIOLENCE THAT ICE OFFICIALS PERPETRATE UNDER THE GUISE OF IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT. I HAVE ASKED YOU TO SEE THE HUMANITY IN RENEE GOODE, KEITH PORTER AND ALEX PRETY TO DO WHAT YOU CAN TO KEEP ANOTHER NAME OFF THAT SOMBER LIST OF INDIVIDUALS WHOSE LIVES HAVE BEEN CUT. SHORT CITY POLICY AS IT STANDS NOW, DOES NOT DO THAT. PROP A AS IT STANDS NOW, DOES NOT DO THAT. SO WHAT MUST BE DONE? HOW MANY MORE HUMAN LIVES MUST BE TAKEN FROM US FOR THIS COUNCIL TO TAKE REAL ACTION? HOW MANY MORE LIVES MUST BE LOST IN ICE CUSTODY? HOW MANY MORE FAMILIES MUST BE TORN APART? HOW MANY CHILDREN TRAUMATIZED? HOW DEEP MUST THE WOUNDS RUN THROUGH OUR COMMUNITIES BEFORE THIS BODY TAKES MEANINGFUL ACTION? HOUSTON DESERVES BETTER THAN THE FECKLESS LEADERSHIP THAT THIS BODY SO-CALLED PROVIDES. AND IF YOU WON'T DO BETTER, WE WILL FIND PEOPLE WHO WILL. THANK YOU CAROLINA MARTINEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY JASMINE AKBARI. OKAY. HI, MY NAME IS SCOTTO. WHAT HAPPENED TO COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS'S PRO PROPOSITION LAST WEEK WAS NOT NEUTRAL. IT WAS NOT CONSISTENT AND IT WAS NOT CREDIBLE. ARTURO AND MICHELLE STRUCK DOWN A KEY PROVISION. WHILE CITIES LIKE DALLAS AND AUSTIN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE SAME POLICIES WITHOUT CONSEQUENCE, THAT'S NOT CAUTION. THAT'S SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT. AND WHEN LEGAL OPINIONS ONLY SEEM TO APPEAR LIKE THEY'RE POLITICALLY CONVENIENT, PEOPLE START TO NOTICE. AND LET'S BE CLEAR, THE CITY ATTORNEY WAS APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR AND WHEN HIS DECISIONS JUST HAPPEN TO ALIGN WITH WHAT THE MAYOR WANTS BLOCKED, IT RAISES A SERIOUS QUESTION. WHOSE INTERESTS ARE ACTUALLY BEING SERVED? BECAUSE THIS ISN'T ABOUT PROTECTING THE CITY, IT'S ABOUT PROTECTING POWER. YOU CANNOT CLAIM LEGAL RISK IN ONE BREATH AND IGNORE IT EVERYWHERE ELSE. YOU CANNOT APPLY ONE STANDARD HERE AND COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ONES IN EVERY OTHER MAJOR CITY IN TEXAS. THAT'S NOT LAW, THAT'S POLITICS. AND IF THIS COUNCIL IS COMFORTABLE HIDING BEHIND THAT, THEN SAY IT PLAINLY. PLAINLY. OTHERWISE YOU NEED TO PASS THE ORIGINAL PROPOSITION AS WRITTEN EXCUSE. HOUSTON IS BEHIND THE CURVE. DALLAS AND AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENTS BOTH HAVE POLICIES THAT DON'T REQUIRE THEIR OFFICERS TO CALL ICE FOR ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANTS. HOUSTON DOES NOT. WE WOULD'VE BUT IT WAS CUT BY OUR CITY ATTORNEY WHO SAID IT WAS UNLAWFUL. WHY? HE'S NOT ELECTED. HE'S APPOINTED BY OUR MAYOR. AND IN 2023 HE WAS THE HIGHEST PAID CITY OF HOUSTON OFFICIAL. AND NOW BECAUSE OF HIS LEGAL OPINION, A KEY PART OF THIS ORDINANCE WAS STRUCK DOWN. SO I ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY TO RELEASE HIS LEGAL OPINION TO THE PUBLIC BECAUSE EVERY PERSON WHO HAS COME HERE TO TESTIFY OVER THE PAST YEAR DESERVES TO KNOW WHY THEIR ORDINANCE WAS WATERED DOWN THE DAY. LABORERS IN DISTRICT C. THE STUDENTS AT SAM HOUSTON HIGH SCHOOL IN DISTRICT H, WHO SOCCER CAPTAIN IS STILL IN ICE DETENTION. THEY ALL DESERVE TO KNOW WHY. BECAUSE THIS ORDINANCE AS MAN, AS MUCH AS I THANK COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS FOR BRINGING IT FORWARD, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THIS ORDINANCE BELONGS TO US TO HOUSTONIANS AND WE DESERVE AN ORDINANCE THAT PROTECTS US JUST AS MUCH AS THE PEOPLE IN DALLAS AND IN AUSTIN. THANK YOU. AN ANTHONY HUBBARD TO BE [02:20:01] FOLLOWED BY MICHELLE BOUCHARD. THANK YOU. SALINAS CAYMAN POLLARD. AND SINCE WHITMEYER IS NOT HERE, I WANNA SPEAK TO ALL OF Y'ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE. IT'S BY WHAT SOME MAY SAY. PEOPLE TO SUPPORT THIS. YOU CAN TALK TO ANYONE. DISTRICT GATES. MY DISTRICT. 'CAUSE DIO WAS THERE WHEN MORROW, A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT, WAS DEPORTED AND TAKEN FROM THE FAMILY. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF Y'ALL HAD ANYONE CLOSE TO Y'ALL, BUT IF MY KID WAS TAKEN FROM ME, I WOULD DO HEAVEN AND HELL TO GET THEM BACK. PEOPLE CARE ABOUT THIS AND YOU CAN TALK TO THEM AND YOU CAN JUST LISTEN TO THEIR STORIES. IT SOUNDS PEST OF INTEREST. THESE ARE PEOPLE I'VE, I ASK THAT ALL OF Y'ALL SUPPORT PROPPE AND ALL OF Y'ALL STAND BY OUR COMMUNITIES. THANK MICHELLE BOUCHARD TO BE FOLLOWED BY JEFF REESE. THANK YOU. I'M A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER IN, UH, COUNCIL DISTRICT, UH, C AND I AM SHOCKED AND APPALLED AT PROPOSITION A BECAUSE IT'S A BLATANT ORGANIZED HIJACKING OF OUR PRIORITIES IN THIS CITY. THIS IS A DANGEROUS CITY. WE KNOW THIS IS A DANGEROUS CITY AND WE ALL SHOULD FEEL SAFE. AND THAT WHY, THAT IS WHY LAW AND ORDER MUST BE OUR PRIORITY. BY THE WAY, COUNCILMAN POLLARD, WHERE'S THE OUTRAGE IN THIS ROOM OVER THOSE COPS WHO WERE SHOT, ENGULFED IN RECENTLY AT A ROUTINE TRAFFIC STOP? WOULD THEY NOT HAVE THEM DO THAT TRAFFIC STOP AND HAVE THAT GUY OUT THERE SHOOTING UNARMED CITIZENS? WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE OVER THE CHILDREN AND THE WOMEN TRAFFICKED, ENGULFED IN AND THEY OUTRAGED OVER MARIETTA WILSON, WHO WAS BLATANTLY MURDERED IN THE HEIGHTS RECENTLY. WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE OVER? THE KIDS AFRAID TO PLAY OUTSIDE IN SUNNYSIDE 'CAUSE THEY'RE GONNA BE SHOCKED. THIS IS A HIJACKING OF OUR PRIORITY. AND KEEP YOUR PRIORITIES STRAIGHT. COUNSEL PROTECT US. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. JEFF. JEFF REESE. JEFF REESE. SAMUEL JESSE TO BE FOLLOWED BY CLAIRE JOHNSON. HELLO, UH, MY NAME IS DR. SAMUEL JUST REPRESENTING MY VIEWS AS A REVENANT RESIDING IN DISTRICT D. UH, WHILE THIS CIVIC CONGREGATION HERE TODAY CLEARLY TESTIFIES WHY WE CALL AN END TO HPDS COLLABORATION WITH ICE. LET ME INSET OFFER CLAIRVOYANCE TO THE FUTURE. COUNCIL MEMBER SALINA'S ORIGINAL LANGUAGE FOR PROP A IS THE BARE MINIMUM. RECALL THE VAST MAJORITY HERE TODAY DEMANDING THIS FOR OUR COMMUNITIES BAYLOR TO ADOPT. THIS PROPOSAL WILL BE CARVED ON YOUR NAME IF YOU IGNORE THIS DEMAND. YOUR CAREER IN PUBLIC OFFICE IS NUMBERED. TRUST THAT AS YOU SEEK PRE-ELECTION, WORKING CLASS PEOPLE OUTNUMBER YOU. AND OUR ORGANIZING FERVOR WILL OUTMATCH YOU. MAY THIS CHAMBER BEAR WITNESS TO YOUR DECISION AND SERVE AT AS AN IMPENDING TRIBUNAL UNITED. TOGETHER WE EMBODY THE SPIRIT OF SOLIDARITY, THE SPIRIT OF JUSTICE, AND THE SPIRIT OF DEMOCRACY MADE MANIFEST. AND BY THE POWER OF THIS COLLECTIVE SPIRIT, WE WILL HAUNT YOU CLAIRE JOHNSON. ANDREA RAPIER, JAY BUSTOS TO BE FOLLOWED BY MAXIM MAXIM, MILANO DIAZ. HELLO EVERYONE. MY NAME IS JAY. I'M YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSTONIAN. THE REQUEST IN THE IS PRETTY SIMPLE. HOUSTON NEEDS TO CUT ALL TIES WITH ICE. AT THE VERY LEAST, MAJOR PROPS TO THE PROP A, BUT AT THE VERY LEAST OF THE NEXT STEP OR MORE THE MAIN GOAL AND NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS, I COULD GO DOWN THE FACTS ON THE DANGERS OF ALL THE NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS. SUCH AS LIKE RARELY UNCOVERED EVIDENCE ON RANDOM CRIME [02:25:01] OR MORE LIKELY TO END A POLICE FORCE OR EVEN RISKS FOR, UH, HIGHER RISK, UH, TOWARDS PEOPLE OF COLOR. BUT THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A HUGE STEP TOWARDS, YOU KNOW, SUPPORTING OUR NEIGHBORS AND OUR RESIDENTS. AND ITS NON-SAFETY. TRAFFIC STOPS WILL BE A BIG STEPS TO LIKE THE BIGGEST ENDING, THE BIGGEST FACTOR TO GIVING ICE A BS EXCUSE TO RIPPING FAMILIES APART. IF YOU DON'T WANNA LOOK AT IT AT HUMANITY AND A MORAL PERSPECTIVE, YOU COULD LOOK AT IT A FISCAL VIEW. THIS WOULD YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED REDUCED WASTE TIME FOR OFFICERS YOU KNOW THAT THEY COULD ALLOCATE TOWARDS SOMETHING ELSE. MAX MILANO DIAZ. MY NAME'S MAXIM DIAZ. SO HOUSTON VOTERS GAVE THIS COUNCIL A CHECK ON MAYOR POWER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS SALINAS USED IT YET SOMEHOW. AND AN UNELECTED CITY ATTORNEY APPOINTED BY THE SUPPOSEDLY VERY, VERY TOLERANT MAYOR, GUTTED THE MOST IMPORTANT PROVISION BEFORE IT COULD EVEN REACH A VOTE. EVERYONE KNOWS S BEFORE DOES NOT REQUIRE ENFORCING ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANTS. DALLAS KNOWS THIS. AUSTIN KNOWS THIS YET. DA YET HOUSTON CITY OFFICIALS DON'T SEEM TO KNOW THIS. MY FAMILY DESERVES A CITY THAT KNOWS THIS TOO. PASS THE FULL ORDINANCE, REINSTATE THE PROVISION WITH AN AMENDMENT. OUR CITY SHOULD NOT WORK WITH TERRORISTS LIKE ICE OR MAYOR WHITMEYER. BY THE WAY EARLIER SOMEONE SAID TO GIVE THOSE SPEAKING ILL OF IMMIGRANTS RESPECT, I DON'T THINK NAZIS DESERVE RESPECT. THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE IS THE BARE MINIMUM WE SAW ALSO STOP NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS AND END THE CITY CONTRACT. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. BLOCK SAFETY AS IT'S PROVEN TO TARGET BLACK AND HISPANIC COMMUNITIES. JEREMY PEEL TO BE FOLLOWED BY MICHELLE EBO OF HOCKLEY. GOOD EVENING COUNSEL. MY NAME IS JEREMY PEEL. I'M AN ATTORNEY LIVING IN DISTRICT C AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE. I SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE BECAUSE IT ELIMINATES THE FOURTH AMENDMENT VIOLATION I MENTIONED AT A PREVIOUS PUBLIC SESSION. HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THAT HPD OFFICERS SHOULD HAVE THE CHOICE WHETHER OR NOT TO CONTACT ICE AS OPPOSED TO BEING REQUIRED TO THIS PROVISION DOES NOT VIOLATE SB FOUR. SB FOUR WOULD NOT ALLOW A CITY POLICY THAT QUOTE PROHIBITS OR MATERIALLY LIMITS ENFORCEMENT OF IMMIGRATION LAWS. THIS ORDINANCE, EVEN WITH OFFICER DISCRETION DOES NEITHER. IT DOES NOT BAN COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN HPD AND ICE, NOR DOES IT RESTRICT IT. IT SIMPLY ALLOWS OFFICERS TO CHOOSE WHETHER OR NOT TO CONTACT ICE. MUCH LIKE THE DISCRETION OFFICERS EXERCISE EVERY DAY IN BOTH DALLAS AND AUSTIN. POLICE OFFICERS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO CONTACT ICE WHEN THEY FIND AN INDIVIDUAL WITH AN ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANT. AND NEITHER OF THESE CITIES HAVE BEEN CONFRONTED WITH LEGAL ACTION FOR ANY ALLEGED VIOLATION OF STATE LAW. IN CLOSING, I NOT ONLY URGE THIS COUNSEL EXPIRED, BUT I ALSO REQUEST THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY RELEASE A LEGAL OPINION DETAILING WHY THIS PROVISION WAS REMOVED AND WHY HE DISAGREES WITH THE THREE ELECTED ATTORNEYS ON COUNCIL THAT PROPOSED THIS ORDINANCE. THANK YOU. MICHELLE EGEN FROM HOCKLEY TO BE FOLLOWED BY BERNADETTE KIKI. HI. THE CONDUCT OF HPD WITH REGARDING THIS PRIVATE CLASSIFICATION FOLLOWS EXACTLY HOW THIS FRAMEWORK IS BEING INTRODUCED, INFORMAL AND OFF THE BOOKS. I JUST WANNA REPEAT WHAT I STATED LAST WEEK. THE FBI DOES NOT HAVE INTERNAL POLICY TO ENFORCE ANY PRIVATE CLASSIFICATION AGAINST CIVILIANS. AND WHAT'S COMING OUT ABOUT THIS FRAMEWORK ARE THE CONSEQUENCES ASSOCIATED WITH INCLUSION AND SYSTEMS SUCH AS THE NATIONAL CRIME INFORMATION CENTER. INCLUDING, UH, ENTRIES WITHIN FILES LIKE THE VIOLENT GANG TERRORIST ORGANIZATION FILE AND THE ALERTS AND COORDINATING MEASURES THAT FOLLOW FROM INCLUSION BY THE ACT OF INCLUSION OF A CIVILIAN. IN THAT SYSTEM, IT REFLECTS A LEVEL OF CONCERN TREATED AS JUSTIFIED THAT HAS BEEN DETERMINED, WHICH THEN TRIGGERS ALERTS, COORDINATING MEASURES, [02:30:01] AND INCREASED SCRUTINY. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. CAN I GET MORE TIME? NO. OKAY. UH, WHICH IS WHY I'VE BEEN COMING HERE WITH, REGARDING POLICE HARASSMENT. IT'S SCRUTINY THAT COMES FROM INCLUSION AND SYSTEMS LIKE THE NCIC. RIGHT? THANK YOU BERNADETTE. KIKI TO BE, TO BE FOLLOWED BY STEPHANIE WILKINS. GREETINGS, UH, BLESSING MAYO AND ALL COUNCIL MEMBER SHOUT OUT TO YOU. UH, YOU ALL KNOW I'M FROM DISTRICT F AND, UM, KIKI, 35 YEARS OF BEING IN HOUSTON, BLESSED HOUSTONIANS CRYING AND PRAYING THAT WE IN HOUSTON DO NOT GO TO HELL AND . AND I'M HERE TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE HOUR OF HUMAN EXISTENCE, AS WE KNOW IT IS SPEEDILY ABOUT TO COME TO AN END. THIS LAST SUNDAY, THE MEGA ASIAN PROPHET OF JEHOVAH, YAHWEH AND ELIJAH CALLED DOWN RAIN IN THE VERY BEFORE OF THE WHOLE WORLD. THE 30TH TIME, THE 30TH TIME, THE LORD JEHOVA YAHWEH ANNOUNCE YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THAT GL JESUS CHRIST IS COMING BACK. IANS THE GLORIOUS JESUS CHRIST, OUR LORD AND SAVIOR WHO DIED ON THE CROSS. THANK YOU COMING BACK. THANK YOU. AND HE WANTS US ALL TO KNOW HE'S GONNA BE UPSET WHEN HE GETS HERE, BECAUSE TIME IS OVER. I'M CRYING AND WAI EVERY DAY AS MAMA KIKI. I DON'T WANNA SEE ANYBODY GO TO HELL. PLEASE TAKE MY, COME HERE. SERIOUSLY. YES. LET'S WALK TOGETHER AND BRING THE MEGA PROFIT. THEY ARE GOING FROM NATION TO NATION. NATION TO NATION AS WE CAN. DO YOU. THANK YOU. SO STEPHANIE WILKINS, DUETTA STEVENSON TO BE FOLLOWED BY FELIX KAUR. GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR AND ALL OF CITY COUNCIL. UM, I'M JOTA STEVENSON AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE GREATER FIFTH WARD SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD. I'VE COME HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT TRAFFIC STOPS. THEY ARE STILL WAY, WAY, WAY TOO HIGH. I KNOW THAT LAST YEAR, THE EARLY PART OF LAST YEAR, THAT YOU STOPPED THAT ONE STOP ONE OFFICER PER DAY. I KNOW YOU STOPPED THAT, BUT IT WAS STILL AN UPTICK. REMEMBER IN 2023 IT, THE NUMBER OF TRAFFIC STOPS ESCALATED UNBELIEVABLY HIGH. WELL, WE STILL ARE VERY, VERY HIGH. WE'RE TOO HIGH AND BLACK PEOPLE LEAD THE PACT IN WHO'S GETTING STOPPED IN THIS CITY? WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE OFFICERS OR HPD, THE, THE CHIEF TO PLEASE TELL THEIR OFFICERS TO STOP STOPPING PEOPLE FOR BROKEN TAIL LIGHTS OR OTHER RIDICULOUS THINGS. WHAT ABOUT THE SAFETY OF A, OF HOUSTONIANS? WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE THAT ARE DRIVING RECKLESSLY? TARGET THEM, TARGET OTHERS. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THAT, THAT ARE ENDANGERING US. THANK YOU. AND I CALL ON ALL THE CITY COUNCIL TO HELP FELIX KAUR TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOSEPH AMARI. ALRIGHT, GOOD EVENING COUNSEL. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. UM, MY NAME IS FELIX UR, RESIDENT OF DISTRICT I AND A PROUD MEMBER OF THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE. UM, HOUSTON THREAT TO FLOODING JUST INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY, ESPECIALLY WITH NEIGHBORHOODS IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON. I'M ASKING ALL OF COUNCIL TO INVEST IN PUBLIC WORKS BY HIRING THE ALMOST 400 EMPLOYEES THAT WERE PUSHED OUT WITH EARLY RETIREMENT AND JOB CUTS LAST YEAR. THIS ADMINISTRATION CLAIMS TO HAVE MADE HISTORIC DRAINAGE INVESTMENTS. BUT HOW CAN YOU INVEST MONEY INTO A DEPARTMENT THEN TAKE AWAY CLOSE TO 10% OF ITS WORKFORCE? APPARENTLY THAT'S CALLED EFFICIENCIES. UM, THE NEW FEMA FLOOD MAPS HAVE BEEN RELEASED, AND THAT SHOULD BE ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THIS DEMAND. UM, BUT I KIND OF WANNA ASK A DIFFERENT QUESTION. UH, WHEN IS THIS COUNCIL GOING TO BE BRAVE? UH, WHEN ARE WE GONNA STAND UP AND MAKE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR DECISIONS TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE? WE DON'T NEED A FREEWAY EXPANSION. [02:35:01] WE DON'T NEED GEORGE R. BROWN TO HOST THE NEXT REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION. UH, WE DON'T NEED OUR STREETS PAVED FOR THE WORLD CUP. THAT ISN'T WHAT WE NEED. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. WE NEED INTO ALL COLLABORATION BETWEEN HPD AND ICE. WE NEED THE PEOPLE PROTECTED. MAKE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENTS INTO THE PEOPLE AND WHOEVER SAID THEY NEED TO TALK TO THE COMMUNITY IN HOUSTON FROM THAT SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD. THIS, THIS IS THE COMMUNITY. WE ARE THE COMMUNITY. EXCUSE ME, SOMEBODY. YOU LEFT THE BAG HERE, BROTHER. SOMEBODY LEFT SOMETHING HERE. IS THIS YOUR, ANYBODY LEFT YOU THAT? YOURS. OH, THANK YOU. OKAY. UH, WE ARE A PROUD BLACK AMERICAN WITH A RICH HISTORICAL LEGACY, HERITAGE OF ACHIEVEMENT IN THE FIELD OF SOCIOECONOMICS, POLITICAL JUSTICE, ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT, MUSIC, SPORTS SCIENCE, POLITICS, BUSINESS EDUCATION MEDICINE. JOHN HANSEN WAS THE FIRST PRESIDENT AND THE FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WHO CREATED THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT, THE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT, DEFENSE DEPARTMENT, AND DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. FREDERICK DOUGLAS WAS THE FIRST PRE-BLACK AMERICA ORATOR, WHO WAS A WHITE TO SPEAK AT THE END OF INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATION, WHO SPOKE IN ABOUT SLAVERY. DURING SLAVERY, WE, BLACK AMERICA HAD ACCUMULATED 400 OF GENERATIONS TO COLLECTIVE WEALTH. TWO OH YEARS OF SWEAT ETHIC, WEALTH WITHOUT PAY IN NAME OF FREEDOM. IN SLAVERY OF 200 YEARS, WE'VE RECEIVED JUST COMPENSATION FOR OUR LABOR AND CREATED CONTRIBUTION TO THE GLOBAL WORLD ECONOMY IN EVERY FIELD. WE DIDN'T COME TO AMERICA ON THE MAYFLOWER AS IMMIGRANTS WE BROUGHT TO HERE AS AMERICA AND SHACKLES OF SLAVERY. WE WERE THE FIRST HUMAN TRAFFIC BUSINESS AFTER BARACK OBAMA, NEW YORK TIME HAS EXPIRED. LET LETICIA GUCCI. SHE'S NOT HERE. SHE'S NOT NICK VAUGHN TO BE FOLLOWED BY JACOB CLEMENT, GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SQUEEZING ME IN. UH, MY NAME IS NICK VAUGHN. I'M HERE IN MY CAPACITY AS A REPRESENTATIVE AND MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF THE HOUSTON L-G-B-T-Q POLITICAL CAUCUS TO AFFIRM OUR UNANIMOUS SUPPORT FOR THE PROP. A ORDINANCE PROPOSED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS POLLARD AND CAYMAN. I RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S CONCERN ABOUT COMPLYING WITH STATE AND FEDERAL LAW, BUT LET'S NOT CONFUSE COMPLIANCE WITH COLLABORATION. IT'S CLEAR THAT THE DISCRETION PROVISION ISN'T REMOTELY UNLAWFUL. THE CAUCUS FULLY SUPPORTS THE ORIGINAL PROPOSED ORDINANCE. ANY STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION IS A GOOD STEP. AND I FEEL CONFIDENT IN SAYING WE WOULD SUPPORT A REVISED PROPOSAL, BUT, AND IT MUST BE THE FOUNDATION OF MUCH GREATER REFORM AHEAD. FURTHERMORE, I WANNA POINT OUT THAT THIS ORDINANCE IS IN PERFECT ALIGNMENT WITH THE UNIFIED HOUSTON QUEER AGENDA CREATED THROUGH COLLABORATION BETWEEN MORE THAN TWO DOZEN LGBTQ PLUS SERVING ORGANIZATIONS EARLIER THIS YEAR. SO WHILE I SPEAK SPECIFICALLY FOR THE CAUCUS, I FEEL CONFIDENT IN SAYING THAT I ALSO SPEAK FOR HOUSTON'S BROADER QUEER COMMUNITY IN SAYING WE NEED THIS ORDINANCE AND MORE. FINALLY, I WILL ADD THE CUS WILL BE TALKING ON THIS ORDINANCE VERY CLOSELY. JACOB, JUST A MOMENT. COUNCILMAN JACKSON? THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A PROCEDURE MOTION? UM, I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD JANELLE ROBLES, UM, I GUESS AFTER JACOB SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND, ONLY A FAVOR, SAY YES. AS OPPOSED TO NAY. NO MOTION. GO FOR IT. JACOB. BE LIKE ME. BUT FOR . AT ANY RATE, AG JOKE TIME, THIS AG PROFESSOR AND DOUBLE STUDY OF CHEMISTRY AND KINESIOLOGY SAID AS BEST ADVICE, YOU KNOW WHY YOU CAN USE IT TO HA A WOUND WITH WATER. YOU CAN DROWN IN IT AND THEN SEE YOU CAN BE BURNED. BUT GO FAR. JACOB, GO AHEAD, . WELL, UH, I WANNA SAY THIS. MY FATHER WAS AN IMMIGRANT AND WELL, HE WAS A LEGAL IMMIGRANT. AND, UH, WELL, UH, I'M A SON OF AN IMMIGRANT, AND YET, UH, I WAS ARRESTED AND I HAD A FELONY CHARGE AND I HAD TIME IN JAIL. BUT HEY, I GOT BETTER. I MEAN, I MIGHT HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE, BUT I TAKE MY MEDICATION AND I GET BETTER AND BETTER EVERY DAY AND IN EVERY WAY. AND, UH, I I WAS THINKING, OH, WELL, WHEN I WAS IN JAIL, YOUR TIME WAS EXPIRED. JOHN MEYER WAS MAYOR. JOHN MEYER WAS A STATE SENATOR AND HE, UH, WAS, UH, IN CHARGE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE. SO [02:40:01] HE KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING. THANK YOU, JACOB. THANK YOU. JACOB. NEXT. JANELLE, LES. ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS JANELLE ROBLES. I AM A RESIDENT HERE IN HOUSTON. I HAVE BEEN A PUBLIC SERVANT FOR NEARLY A DECADE. I SERVED AS A HARRIS COUNTY FELONY PROSECUTOR, UM, PROTECTING VICTIMS OF VIOLENT CRIME, A MAGISTRATE JUDGE IN HARRIS COUNTY, PROBABLE CAUSE COURT. AND, UH, RECENTLY AS A FELONY, UH, PUBLIC DEFENDER HERE IN HARRIS COUNTY. BECAUSE I AM BILINGUAL, NEARLY ALL OF MY CASELOAD INVOLVES REPRESENTING SPANISH SPEAKING IMMIGRANTS, INDIVIDUALS CHARGED WITH A CRIME. AND IT IS SAD TO SAY IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO, I HAVE SEEN A RISE IN THE NUMBER OF INDI BIZARRE CASES FILED AGAINST MY IMMIGRANT CLIENTS. UM, AND I'M SEEING MY CLIENTS GETTING ARRESTED, CHARGED, AND, UM, ACCUSED FOR BEHAVIORS OF OTHER CLIENTS THAT I WOULDN'T OTHERWISE SEE. UM, AND IT'S BEEN PERVASIVE. AND BECAUSE I WAS TAUGHT AS A YOUNG PROSECUTOR TO EVALUATE THE EVIDENCE THOROUGHLY, UM, MANY OF MY CASES HAVE BEEN DISMISSED. AND SADLY, THEY'RE STILL, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED, DEPORTED, AND GOING TO ICE. THANK YOU. UM, AND SO I'M ASKING FOR SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSITION. THANK YOU. THIS COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS WE STAND. UH, ANYONE, ANYONE GOT OVERLOOKED THAT SIGNED UP? STATE YOUR NAME, MA'AM. MY NAME IS CORETTA BROWN. WERE YOU ON THE LIST? YES, PLEASE, PLEASE PROCEED. IN REGARDS TO PROP A, IT'S DECENT, BUT IT LACKS INCLUSIVITY. I FIRMLY AGREE THAT SAFE TRAFFIC STOPS SHOULD BE ABOUT SAFETY, NOT SUSPICION. EVERY DRIVER, NO MATTER THEIR RACE, BACKGROUND, INCOME OR IMMIGRATION STATUS, DESERVE TO BE TREATED FAIRLY. WHEN WE CREATE POLICIES THAT REFLECT THAT WE ARE NOT JUST HELPING ONE GROUP, WE'RE PROTECTING ENTIRE COMMUNITIES. BUT THE MOMENT YOU EXCLUDE ANY DEMOGRAPHIC FOR ANY REASON, YOU STOP BEING A COUNCIL FOR ALL PEOPLE AND YOU BEGIN TO SLIP ON THE VERY PROMISE THAT GOT YOU ELECTED. ALSO, THIS CAN'T STOP WITH DISCRETION. IT HAS TO MOVE TO PREVENTION. THAT MEANS ADDRESSING THE ISSUE IN A WAY THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE. INCLUSIVE POLICIES REDUCE HARM AND BUILD TRUST, AND THEY MAKE OUR ROLES SAFER FOR US ALL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE STAND AND RECESS [RECESS] TILL NINE IN THE MORNING. WILLIAM MARSH [READING OF THE CONSENT AGENDA] RICE UNIVERSITY ITEM 25, ORDINANCE APPROVED AND AUTHORIZING THE SALE OF PLUS MINUS 0.0163 ACRE EASEMENT BEING OUT OF A CITY FEE OWNED PORTION OF LOT FOUR, BLOCK FOUR, CW HALL COMPANY SUBDIVISION OF BLOCKS THREE, FOUR, AND FIVE OF THE FC TRICKY SUBDIVISION IN THE THOMAS A MANIFE SURVEY. SURVEY, ABSTRACT NUMBER 5 65, CONVEYING THE EASEMENT TO THE COUNTY OF HARRIS, A BODY CORPORATE AND POLITIC UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS. ITEM 26 ORDINANCE, FINDING AND DETERMINING PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY FOR THE ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY. INTEREST IN CONNECTION WITH THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT PROJECT KNOWN AS THE CLINTON DRIVE LIFT STATION EMERGENCY GENERATOR EXPANSION PROJECT ITEM 27 ORDINANCE, FINDING AND DETERMINING PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY FOR THE ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY. INTEREST IN CONNECTION WITH THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT PROJECT KNOWN AS LIFT STATION REHABILITATION AND RECONSTRUCTION DESIGN. FEMA DASH CD, KINGWOOD PLACE, SOUTH GOLDEN BEAR, I'M SORRY, KINGWOOD PLACE, SOUTH LS LIFT STATION, GOLD BEAR, GOLDEN BEAR LIFT STATION, DEER SPRINGS LIFT STATION, AG FARM LIFT STATION, GOLF COURSE, LIFT STATION PROJECT ITEM 28, ORDINANCE FINDING AND DETERMINING PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY FOR THE ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY. INTEREST IN CONNECTION WITH THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT PROJECT KNOWN AS THE NORTH PARK DRIVE OVERPASS PROJECT AND THE NORTH PARK DRIVE OVER OVERPASS PROJECT PHASE TWO, ITEM 29, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FOR CONSTRUCTION OF SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROJECT BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND GULF GATE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY REVENUE GULF GATE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ITEM 30, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH [02:45:01] GREATER SOUTHEAST MANAGEMENT DISTRICT. ITEM 31 HAS BEEN PULLED AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. ITEM 32, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $5,730,000 APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING CONTRACT WITH RELIANCE CONSTRUCTION SERVICES LP ITEM 33, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $48,816,735 37 CENTS APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING CONTRACT WITH SER CONSTRUCTION PARTNERS. ITEM 34, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $732,294 $108,659 37 CENTS APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING CONTRACT WITH BRIZO BRAZO CONSTRUCTION, LLC ITEM 35, ORDINANCE GRANTING TO EIGHT TRIPLE H ACTION SEPTIC SERVICE LLC, THE RIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT, HAUL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THIS IS THE THIRD AND FINAL READING ITEM 36 OR ORDINANCE GRANTING TO JS SEPTIC SERVICES CORPORATION, THE RIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT, HAUL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THIS IS THE THIRD AND FINAL READING ITEM 37 ORDINANCE GRANTED TO MASTER ADVANCE REMEDIATION SERVICES, LLC, THE WRIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT, HAUL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UH, THIS IS THE THIRD AND FINAL READING ITEM 38 ORDINANCE GRANTING TO RED ZONE ROBOTICS INC. THE RIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT, HAUL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. THIS IS THE THIRD AND FINAL READING ITEM 39 ORDINANCE GRANTED TO REFRESH THREADS, CLEANERS, LLC, THE WRIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT, HAUL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THIS IS THE THIRD AND FINAL READING ITEM 40 ORDINANCE GRANTED TO CSCO LLC, THE WRIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT, HAUL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THIS IS THE THIRD AND FINAL READING ITEM 41 ORDINANCE GRANTED TO TEXAS MINT COMMERCIAL WASHING LLC, THE WRIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT, HAUL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. THIS IS THE THIRD AND FINAL READING. ITEM 42 IS A MOTION TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING DATE TO PROVIDE A RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION FOR APPLICANTS SEEKING 4% HOUSING TAX CREDITS. ITEM 43 IS A MOTION TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING DATE TO PROVIDE A RE RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION FOR APPLICANT SEEKING 4% HOUSING TAX CREDITS IN THE CITY'S EXTRA TERRITORIAL JURISDICTION. ITEM 44 IS A MOTION TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING DATE ON RECOMMENDATION FROM THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT REGARDING AUTHORIZATION TO USE A PORTION OF DWIGHT EISENHOWER PARK FOR NON-PAR PURPOSES. ITEM 45 ORDINANCE RELATING TO FISCAL FISCAL AFFAIRS OR REINVESTMENT. ZONE NUMBER 27 APPROVING FISCAL YEAR 2026 OPERATING BUDGET IN FISCAL YEARS 2026 THROUGH 2030. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS BUDGET FOR THE ZONE. THIS ITEM WAS TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN AND WAS ITEM 32 ON THE AGENDA OF MARCH 25TH. ITEM 46, ORDINANCE APPROVED IN THE AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF ELECTRONIC APPLICATION FOR GRANTED ASSISTANCE TO THE OFFICE OF THE GOV OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR FOR FY 27 NORTH EASTERN WEST SIDE HOUSTON VIOLENT GAIN CRIME SUPPRESSION GRANT. THIS ITEM WAS TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS AND WAS ITEM 52 ON THE AGENDA OF MARCH 25TH. THIS COMPLETES THE READING OF THE CAPTIONS FOR THE AGENDA OF APRIL 1ST, 2026. STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT COUNCIL SESSION TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM AND WITH THAT, I WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY AND BLESSED HUMP DAY [RECONVENE] BEFORE I, BEFORE WE START BUSINESS, LET ME REMIND EVERYONE THAT FLEET WEEK STARTS APRIL 15TH. THERE'S GONNA BE A GRADUAL BUILDUP OF EVENTS, UM, MAKE PLANS, INVITE YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY AND CONSTITUENTS TO ENJOY THE PRESENCE OF US NAVY. IT'S GONNA BE THREE SHIPS AND HOUSTON PORT AND, UM, A NUMBER OF PUBLIC EVENTS THAT FOLLOWS THE BEST MARCH MEMBERS THAT WE'VE EVER HAD AS A CITY FOR A HOTEL OCCUPANCY REVENUE. AND IT JUST CONTINUES TO BILL, ACTUALLY, AS WE TALKED, ASTROS ARE ON A FOUR GAME WINNING STREAK. SO, YOU KNOW, LET'S LET THEM FOLLOW OUR MODEL OF A CAN-DO ATTITUDE. BUT, UM, THE MONTH OF MARCH, UH, MIGHT ALSO ADD THAT THE GEORGE BROWN FINANCING WAS COMPLETED. [02:50:01] I THINK MELISSA'S GONNA MAKE REFERENCE TO IT. WE GOT THE BEST BOND RATING, UH, ACTUALLY INCREASED OUR BOND RATING 'CAUSE PEOPLE WANT TO INVEST IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. BUT THIS MORNING IS SPECIAL BECAUSE WE'VE INVITED, UM, CONGRESSWOMAN, IF YOU'LL COME FORWARD, UM, FIRST OF ALL, LEMME CONGRATULATE YOU ON A VERY IMPRESSIVE RECENT PRIMARY VICTORY. THANK YOU. UH, I KNOW THEY TRIED TO DRAW YOU OUTTA YOUR DISTRICT, BUT YOU'VE GOT THAT CAN-DO ATTITUDE AND, YOU KNOW, ELECTIONS MATTER AND REASON WE COME TO WORK. SPEAKING OF THAT THIS MORNING, YOU WERE THE FIRST ONE THAT CONTACTED ME WHEN THE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST CAESAR CHAVEZ SURFACED AND TERRIBLE DISCOVERY, UM, THAT MADE THE NEWS. AND YOU SAID, WE MUST DO SOMETHING TO REMOVE HIS NAME. I TOLD COUNSEL LAST WEEK, YOU WERE CORRECT. I HEARD FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, I HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY, AND I SAID, I WOULD EXPEDITE IT, UH, TODAY, SO YOU'LL KNOW THE MOTION, THE ACTIVITY IN THAT DIRECTION. WE'RE SENDING OUT LETTERS TODAY TO 38 BUSINESSES ALONG 67TH STREET, WHICH IS ALSO REGISTERED AS CESAR CHAVEZ. SO IT WAS YOUR CONTACT THAT CERTAINLY IMPRESSED ME. I SHARED WITH THE COUNSEL. UM, AND YOU ALSO HAD A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE CHANGE THE NAME TO THE VICTIM, THE ICONIC, UH, DOLORES ERTA. SO THAT'S THE REASON I'VE ASKED YOU TO COME TODAY TO HELP US KICK OFF THE PROCESS. UH, THE BUSINESSES AND RESIDENCES THAT USE THAT ADDRESS WILL HAVE 30 DAYS FOR, UH, INPUT COMMENT. BUT, UM, THE CITY, BASED ON THE CONSENSUS THAT'S BEEN BUILT AND INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY AND YOUR REPRESENTATION, THE PROCESS STARTS TODAY WITH YOUR, UH, PUBLIC ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THEN ALSO THE LETTERS WILL GO OUT TO DATE. SO WITH THAT, [Additional Item] UH, MY MAYOR'S REPORT YIELDS TO YOU AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND TO THANK YOU TO ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND AS YOU PROCEED WITH THE PROCESS, AND CERTAINLY WE DO NEED TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC AND ALL THE BUSINESS OWNERS AND THE, UH, HOMEOWNERS THAT, THAT ARE ON THAT STREET, UM, TO HAVE INPUT. I WANTED TO JUST DROP BY BECAUSE I DON'T GET THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO BE HERE DURING THE WEEK WHEN YOU MEET. I WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TODAY TO COME AND, AND, UH, RECOMMEND THAT WE NAME THIS AFTER, UH, DOLORES HUERTA. UH, LIKE SO MANY PEOPLE IN HOUSTON AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, I WAS DEEPLY DISTURBED AND HEARTBROKEN BY THE ALLEGATIONS INVOLVING CESAR CHAVEZ. WE HAVE TO BE CLEAR, NO LEGACY, NO MATTER HOW HISTORIC AND IMPACTFUL PLACES ANYONE ABOVE ACCOUNTABILITY, I BELIEVE AND STAND WITH THE VICTIMS, THEIR COURAGE MATTERS AND THEY DESERVE TO BE HEARD. BUT THIS MOMENT IS ALSO ABOUT ASKING SOMETHING MORE OF OUT OF ALL OF US. IT'S ASKING US TO REFLECT ON HOW WE CAN BEST HONOR A MOVEMENT AND WHO WE CHOOSE TO LIFT UP AS ITS FACE. BECAUSE THE FARM WORKERS MOVEMENT WAS NEVER ABOUT ONE PERSON. IT WAS ALWAYS ABOUT PEOPLE. IT WAS ABOUT WORKERS DEMANDING DIGNITY, FAMILIES DEMANDING FAIR WAGES, AND COMMUNITIES DEMANDING TO BE SEEN AND NOT HEARD. AND AT THE HEART OF THAT MOMENT WAS DOLORES HUERTA. SO, AS HOUSTON CONSIDERS WHAT COMES NEXT, BECAUSE THERE WILL BE MAYOR, AS YOU SAID, A PROCESS. THIS IS NOT ABOUT ERASING HISTORY, IT'S ABOUT MAKING A CLEAR CHOICE. WE ARE GOING TO RENAME CESAR CHAVEZ BOULEVARD, THEN WE SHOULD DO IT IN A WAY THAT HONORS THE MOVEMENT AND THE PEOPLE WHO CARRIED IT FORWARD. WE SHOULD RENAME IT DOLORES ZA BOULEVARD. BECAUSE DOLORES ZA REPRESENTS THE VERY BEST OF THAT MOVEMENT. SHE REPRESENTS THE WORKERS WHO FEED THIS NATION, THE WOMAN WHO FOUGHT TO BE HEARD, THE COMMUNITIES THAT ORGANIZED AND DEMANDED CHANGE. AND IT IS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THE LEGACY WE LIFT UP REFLECTS THE TRUTH, THE SACRIFICE, AND THE STRENGTH OF THE MOVEMENT ITSELF. SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT DOLORES, DOLORES IS MORE THAN JUST A FRIEND. AND SHE IS INDEED A FRIEND. SHE'S ONE OF THE STRONGEST, MOST COURAGEOUS PEOPLE I HAVE EVER KNOWN. SHE CO-FOUNDED THE UNITED FARM WORKERS UNION. SHE COINED THE PHRASE C CWE. WE'VE ALL JOINED IN THAT CHANT IN MANY MEETINGS AND MANY CONFERENCES. SHE HELPED LEAD THE DELANO RAPE STRIKE. SHE ORGANIZED BOYCOTTS THAT CHANGED LABOR [02:55:01] CONDITIONS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY, BUT WE ARE NOW LEARNING ADDS MORE TO THE STORY. DOLORES INDUCED HARM AND CARRIED THAT PAIN QUIETLY FOR SO MANY YEARS. SHE STAYED FOCUSED ON THE MOVEMENT, ON THE WORKERS AND ON THE CAUSE. EVEN WHEN IT CAME AT A PERSONAL COST, SHE JUST KEPT GOING. SHE CONTINUED TO FIGHT FOR FARM WORKERS, FOR WOMEN, AND FOR CIVIL RIGHTS. THAT IS WHO SHE IS. SHE IS SOMEONE THAT WE SHOULD HONOR. THAT IS WHY LAST YEAR, MAYOR, I LED A RESOLUTION IN CONGRESS TO RECOGNIZE DOLORES ERTA WITH A NATIONAL DAY IN HER HONOR BECAUSE HER LIFE REFLECTS THE VALUES THIS MOVEMENT WAS BUILT ON. AND MAYOR, YOU KNOW MY STORY. I WORKED ON A FARM. I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE OUT THERE IN THE FIELD. WE LEARNED A LOT FROM THAT HEART LABOR. SO WE LEARNED A LOT FROM THIS MOVEMENT, AND SHE WAS AT THE FOREFRONT, AND WE SHOULD HONOR HER WITH PLACING HER NAME TO REPLACE CESAR CHAVEZ BOULEVARD. WITH THAT MAYOR, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I THANK ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. I THINK WE HAVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER'S QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS. I BELIEVE COUNCIL MEMBER CASICK TATUM SIGNED UP. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, CONGRESSWOMAN, I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO YOU FOR COMING AND BEING SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE NAME CHANGE, BUT I ALSO, BECAUSE YOU ARE HERE, WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY FOR THE TSA WORKERS. UM, SO MANY TIMES THE, UM, WORK THAT WE DO ON THE LOCAL LEVEL, UM, WE HAVE TO BE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS. UM, AND I WANT TO AMPLIFY, UM, HOW YOU HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR OUR TSA WORKERS. THEY ARE OUR FRONTLINE WORKERS. UM, THEIR FAMILIES ARE IMPORTANT. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE GETTING, UM, PAID. UH, AND I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN LIFTING YOUR VOICE AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, UM, PROVIDING THEM THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND, AND WHAT THEY DESERVE, UM, TO HELP US TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON RUNS SMOOTHLY. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL. AND THEN OF COURSE, UM, THANK YOU FOR LIFTING UP, UH, THE VOICE OF DOLORES HUERTA, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING MORE FEEDBACK FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON ABOUT THIS NAME CHANGE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND COUNCILOR MARTINEZ FOR, LET ME THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY IN HELPING THIS PROCESS. YOU CERTAINLY REPRESENT THE AREA THAT'S DIRECTLY IMPACTED YOU AND COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. SO, UH, COULD NOT OCCUR WITHOUT YOUR FEEDBACK FROM, UH, THE RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES THAT'LL BE SERVED BY THIS CHANGE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, AND YOU KNOW, CONGRESSMAN GARCIA JUST WANNA FIRST SAY AS, AS THE MAYOR NOTED, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE THE FIRST ONE TO BRING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION AS WELL. AND, AND SO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS THROUGHOUT THE PAST, UH, WEEK AND A HALF, TWO WEEKS OR SO. UM, JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR, AS MAYOR PRO TAYLOR MENTIONED THE LEADERSHIP THAT YOU, YOU SHARE AT, AT, UH, IN DC BUT THEN, QUITE FRANKLY, HERE IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. UM, AND I AM WITH YOU. I'M IN SUPPORT OF, OF WHAT YOU'RE REQUESTING AS WELL. UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, UM, AS WE WORK THROUGH THESE, THESE DIFFICULTIES THAT WE ALSO ARE ABLE TO LIFT UP, UH, SPECIFICALLY WOMEN, UM, AND THEN DOLO IN, IN WITH HER NAME AND THE WORK THAT SHE'S DONE, AS YOU'VE MENTIONED, UM, THE GOAL HAS ALWAYS BEEN WHEN I, WHEN I STARTED SPEAKING TO YOU ABOUT THIS MAYOR AND TO YOUR TEAM, WAS, UH, TO MOVE THROUGH THIS EXPEDITIOUSLY. UH, WE KNOW THAT THE PROCESS CAN TAKE, UH, UP TO FIVE MONTHS EVEN MORE DEPENDING ON, ON, UH, WHETHER YOU CAN ACHIEVE THE SIGNATURES OR NOT. UM, AND SO I'M, I'M THANKFUL TO, TO BE ABLE TO WORK ALONGSIDE WITH YOU MAYOR AND OF COURSE WITH, WITH THE REST OF, UH, UH, THE, THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN DO THIS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, UH, QUITE FRANKLY. UM, AND, AND THE SOONER THE BETTER. UM, WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED 38 BUSINESSES, BUT THEN ALSO TWO DOZEN STREETS, UH, INTERSECTIONS THAT ARE THERE IN DISTRICT I AND MAGNOLIA PARK, UM, THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS DONE AS QUICKLY AS, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO ENSURE THAT, UM, WE CAN BEGIN TO MOVE ON AND HEAL. UH, BUT QUITE FRANKLY, HONOR, UH, LATINOS, UH, CHICANOS, UH, WITHIN OUR OWN SPACES AS WELL. UH, BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY, AS A YOUNG KID, WE NEED THOSE, THOSE LEADERS TO BE ABLE TO BUILD THAT CONFIDENCE TO BE ABLE TO SIT AROUND THIS, THIS TYPE OF SPACE, UH, TO ENSURE THAT LEADERSHIP CONTINUES TO GROW. AND SO, UH, MAYOR, AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR MOVING QUICKLY WITH THIS AS, UM, FROM OUR CONVERSATIONS, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO MAKING SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. THANK YOU. WELL, COUNCIL MEMBERS, AS YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE, UM, CHATTED ABOUT IT, UH, IN OUR, OUR GROUP CHAT. AND I THINK, UM, MOST OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS I KNOW, UH, SENATOR RO HAS INDICATED SHE'S SUPPORTIVE AS SHE DID CONTACT US, RIGHT? AS HAS, UM, ALL THEIR REPRESENTATIVES, UM, AND, UM, [03:00:01] UH, COMMISSIONER EZ, UH, AND, UH, MARY AND EZ, UH, MONDO WALEY ON EZ, UM, CHRISTINA MORALES, CHRISTIAN MORALES MEETING 2 0 1. SO I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA RECEIVE A LOT OF SUPPORT THAT WE OBVIOUSLY DO NEED TO HEAR FROM THOSE BUSINESS OWNERS AND THE COMMUNITIES DIRECTLY IMPACTED. I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT UP BECAUSE AGAIN, I THINK IT JUST SHOWS A UNIFIED VOICE, AS YOU MENTIONED, UH, FROM, YOU KNOW, FOR THIS NORTH WITH, UH, REPRESENTATIVE WALLY DOWN TO MARIANNE PEREZ, WHO'S ON THE SOUTHEAST PART OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY, AND OF COURSE, EVEN OUR COMMISSIONERS, UH, THAT ARE SUPPORT OF THIS. SO THANK YOU AGAIN, UH, SURE. FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. THANK YOU FOR FULL TRANSPARENCY. WE'RE EXPEDITING IT TO THE POINT THAT PUBLIC WORKS IS GOING TO PRINT TODAY TO MAKE THE NEW SIGNS SO IT CANNOT BE TAKEN MORE SERIOUS AND EXPEDITED THAN, UH, HUMANLY POSSIBLE. SO THANK YOU. AND CAROL, THANK YOU. YOU DID CONTACT ME. AND COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO IS DIRECTLY IMPACTED REPRESENTING HIS DISTRICT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND WORKING WITH THE ADMINISTRATION. THANK YOU, MAYOR. EXCUSE ME. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND CONGRESSWOMAN, IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU. WELCOME BACK TO CITY HALL. THANK YOU. IT LOOKS A LITTLE DIFFERENT. , I NOTICED THE SIGNS ARE DIFFERENT AND THEY DO HAVE DIFFERENT NAMES. YEAH. . UM, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE, AND I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON COUNTLESS ISSUES. BUT THIS ONE SPECIFICALLY, YOU KNOW, AS YOU SAID, THIS IS NOT ABOUT ERASING HISTORY, BUT IT IS ABOUT MAKING A CHOICE ON HOW WE HONOR THE MOVEMENT. AND I THINK THAT HITS HOME TO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY AND TO YOUR RECOMMENDATION, WHICH, YOU KNOW, JUST HEARING YOU, UH, THIS MORNING TALK ABOUT ALL THE TIME, DOLORES SPENCE IN HOUSTON, AND ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO, TO SHOW HER AND THE WORK Y'ALL DID. I KNOW YOUR RECOMMENDATION IS NOT ONE THAT IS MADE LIGHTLY, THANK YOU. UH, BUT ONE THAT COMES FROM EXPERIENCE AND FROM YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE WITH, WITH HER. AND SO, UH, I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TO LEND YOUR VOICE TO THIS AND TO, TO BE THE ONE THAT HAS LED THE CHARGE. UH, AS YOU MENTIONED IN THE, IN THE GROUP CHAT, YOU WERE THE FIRST TO LET US KNOW, UM, AND WITH, WITH YOU AND, AND WITH THE MAYOR'S SUPPORT AND THE EXPEDITED, UH, PROCESS, WE WILL SEE THE WAY THAT THE MOVEMENT IS HONORED, UH, DONE IN A WAY THAT REFLECTS THE, THE WISHES AND THE AND OF THE COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE TO, TO GET US TO THIS POINT. THANK YOU, COUNCIL CAYMAN. GOOD MORNING. AND CONGRESSWOMAN, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, UM, AS WELL AS MY COLLEAGUES AROUND THE HORSESHOE. UM, AND JUST THE, WE'RE SEEING A CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE NATION WHERE THE ACTS OF ONE ARE NOT GOING TO DEFINE A MOVEMENT, AND THE ACTS OF ONE ARE NOT GOING TO DEFINE THE STRENGTH OF WOMEN. AND I WANNA RECOGNIZE YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN LIFTING UP THE VOICES OF WOMEN LIKE DOLORES HUERTA. UM, AND I WANNA DOUBLE DOWN ON WHAT I SAID LAST WEEK, WHICH WAS THAT NO WOMAN SHOULD EVER BE MADE TO FEEL LIKE SHE CANNOT SPEAK HER TRUTH AND HAVE TO SACRIFICE FOR THE SAKE OF A MOVEMENT. AND THAT HER SACRIFICE ABSOLUTELY NEEDS TO BE RECOGNIZED. UM, BUT THAT WHAT SHE WENT THROUGH DOES NOT DEFINE HER. THAT IS ONLY ONE PART OF HER STORY. UH, AND IT'S INCUMBENT UPON ALL OF US AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UH, TO LIFT UP THE ENTIRE STORY OF THE MOVEMENT, THE ENTIRE STORY OF THESE WOMEN, UM, WHO WERE COURAGEOUS AND SAVED THE LIVES OF SO MANY OTHERS AND BROKE BARRIERS IN WAYS, UM, THAT THEY AT THE TIME COULD NOT EVEN IMAGINE. UH, SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR STANDING SO STRONG, UH, FOR THE VOICE OF WORKERS, FOR THE VOICE OF WOMEN, FOR THE VOICES OF THIS COUNTRY. UH, AND IT'S, IT'S A PRIVILEGE THAT WE AS A CITY GET TO STEP UP, TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND TO DO SO QUICKLY WHEN THERE ARE OTHER INSTANCES, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW, WHERE WE ARE NOT DOING THE RIGHT THING WHEN IT COMES TO SEXUAL ABUSE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT. UH, AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS THAT WE CAN BE PROUD OF. AND SO WE STAND WITH YOU, WE STAND WITH OTHERS, BUT WE STAND WITH ALL WOMEN, UH, WHO'VE HAVE GONE THROUGH THE UNTHINKABLE, UH, SO THAT THEY NEVER HAVE TO BE SILENCED. ABSOLUTE. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SALINAS. CONGRESSWOMAN, IT IS SO WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU HERE TODAY. FIRST TIME I'VE SEEN YOU IN THAT SHEET, . UM, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. AS A LATINO WHO'S SIT ON COUNCIL, HOW POWERFUL IT IS FOR YOU TO COME HERE TODAY AND SHARE THIS POWERFUL RECOMMENDATION. I, MYSELF HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THE VERY SAME IN MY CONVERSATIONS [03:05:01] WITH COLLEAGUES, BUT IT MEANS SO MUCH TO COME FROM YOU. SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING THERE WITH YOU AND THE MAYOR AND ALL OF COUNCIL WHEN WE RENAMED THE STREET DE LOES HUTA BOULEVARD. THANK YOU. VERY WELL. ON A VERY PERSONAL NOTE, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CAREER THAT IS SO STRONG IN GOING FORWARD. MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW YOU AND I WORKED TOGETHER BEFORE WE WERE ELECTED OFFICIALS. I WAS A STATE EMPLOYEE, YOU WERE A COUNTY OFFICIAL WORKING IN SOCIAL SERVICES. SO OUR CAREERS HAVE RUN VERY PARALLEL, BEEN A LOT OF BATTLES TOGETHER AND A LOT OF VICTORIES. BUT THANK YOU, UH, HELP ME, UH, MY CHIEF MUNICIPAL JUDGE, CITY CONTROLLER, COUNTY COMMISSIONER, COUNTY COMMISSIONER, STATE SENATOR CONGRESS, WHO WITH YOU. YES. AND WE FOUGHT THE BATTLES IN AUSTIN AND, UH, DID A LOT OF GOOD, GOOD THINGS. SO THANK YOU. AND I KNOW YOU'RE STRONG NOW, AND WE'RE MAKING A STRONG STATEMENT TODAY GOING FORWARD, SO THANK YOU. AND WE STAND READY TO WORK WITH YOU AND THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE NEED HELP WITH IN, IN WASHINGTON. CERTAINLY THE TSAI WAS SURPRISED Y'ALL JUST DIDN'T PRESENT ME WITH A LIST. YEAH, YEAH. BUT THAT'S ALL ABOUT, THAT'S, THAT'S RELATIONSHIP. TODAY'S WE HAD, IT'S COMING. WE HAVE BUDGET COMING UP. YEAH, YEAH. THE, THE, THE COLLABORATION AND YOUR INVOLVEMENT OF RIGHTING WRONGS IS WHY WE ALL RUN FOR OFFICE AND WHY WE CAME TO WORK TODAY. SO THANK YOU AND TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. AND WE'RE PHONE CALL AWAY. THANK YOU MAYOR, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR WORK TOGETHER. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU FOR BETTER HOUSTON. THANK YOU MEMBERS. UH, WE'LL [ADMINISTRATION REPORT] MOVE INTO THE FINANCIAL REPORT. UH, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR. HONORABLE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. AS SHE'S WALKING OUTTA THE ROOM, I JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK THE CONGRESSWOMAN, UH, FOR HER LEADERSHIP AND FOR HER ADVOCACY. UH, YOU KNOW, THIS MORNING AS A FORMER CONTROLLER, SHE SAID SHE'S PROBABLY THE ONLY ONE WHO'S HAPPY TO HEAR THIS REPORT THIS MORNING FROM ME. BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA SHARE IT. AND, UH, I DO WANNA SAY COUNCIL MEMBERS, I WANNA GET ADDED TO THE GROUP CHAT. COME ON NOW. I'M, I'M AN ALLY, BUT, UH, MAYOR, I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY, 2026. UH, THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE IS PROJECTING AN ENDING FUND BALANCE OF $307 MILLION OR 11.7% OF EXPENDITURES, LESS DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026. UH, THIS IS $16.9 MILLION LOWER THAN THE PROJECTION OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT. THE DIFFERENCES DUE TO A LOWER REVENUE PROJECTION, UH, THAN FINANCE. UH, JUST TO INTERJECT REALLY QUICKLY, I'M GONNA TRY TO FLY THROUGH THESE NUMBERS AND I THINK DIRECTOR DEBA, WHO'S GONNA DO THE SAME. WE HAVEN'T COMPLETED THE, THE CONVENTION CENTER FINANCING. THE CLOSING IS ACTUALLY LIKE RIGHT NOW, AND SO WE'RE GONNA TRY TO GET OUTTA HERE AND GET OVER THERE. UH, AND SO FORGIVE SOME OF THE SPEED, UH, COME GOING THROUGH HERE. BASED ON OUR CURRENT PROJECTIONS, THE FUND BALANCE WILL BE APPROXIMATELY $110.7 MILLION ABOVE THE CITY'S TARGET OF HOLDING 7.5% OF TOTAL EXPENDITURES, EXCLUDING DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO IN RESERVE. UH, IN GENERAL, UH, APPROPRIATIONS AND IN THE GENERAL FUND, EXCUSE ME, WE'VE INCREASED OUR REVENUE PROJECTION BY $39 MILLION FROM THE JANUARY, 2026 REPORT. MOST OF THE INCREASE HAS BEEN DRIVEN BY THE FOLLOWING, UH, SALES TAX REVENUE IS UP TO 21.9 IS UP BY $21.9 MILLION DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED SALES TAX RECEIPTS. UH, CHARGES FOR SERVICES INCREASED BY $13.9 MILLION, PRIMARILY DUE TO STRONGER THAN EXPECTED AMBULANCE FEES. MISCELLANEOUS AND OTHER INCREASED BY $2.3 MILLION, PRIMARILY DUE TO HIGHER RECOVERIES AND REFUNDS FROM VERIZON. TRANSFERS FROM OTHER FUNDS INCREASED BY $1.8 MILLION DUE TO HIGHER TRANSFER FROM PARK HOUSTON. SPECIAL REVENUE FUND SALES OF CAPITAL ASSETS INCREASED BY $0.3 MILLION DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED LAND SALES. INTERGOVERNMENTAL DECREASED BY $0.7 MILLION DUE TO LOWER TAX. UH, LOWER TURS ADMINISTRATION FEE COLLECTION, DIRECT INTER FUND DECREASED BY $0.7 MILLION DUE TO LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED DIRECT SERVICES RECOVERED. UM, MOVING OVER TO EXPENDITURES, WE HAVE INCREASED OUR EXPENDITURE PROJECTION BY $68 MILLION FROM THE JANUARY, 2026 REPORT WITH SIGNIFICANT CHANGES AS FOLLOWS, AN INCREASE OF $50.6 MILLION IN FIRE, PRIMARILY DUE TO CLASSIFIED OVERTIME, TERMINATION PAY, FIREFIGHTING EQUIPMENT SUPPLIES, AND IT RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS AN INCREASE OF $15.6 MILLION IN POLICE DUE TO CLASSIFIED OVERTIME. AND IT COST OVERAGE AN [03:10:01] INCREASE OF FOUR AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS TO REFLECT HEALTH BENEFITS OVERAGE AND INCREASE OF $1.6 MILLION IN GENERAL GOVERNMENT TO REFLECT ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE HOUSTON FORENSIC SCIENCE CENTER AND CONSULTING SERVICES FOR THE ENTERPRISE RISK ASSESSMENT, A DECREASE OF $3.4 MILLION IN VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS TO REFLECT VACANCY SAVINGS AND A DECREASE OF $0.8 MILLION IN VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS TO REFLECT SAVINGS IN SERVICE CHARGEBACK COSTS FOR OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS. STARTING WITH AVIATION OPERATING REVENUES DECREASED BY $26.8 MILLION DUE TO LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED TERMINAL SPACE RENTAL FEES AND RETAIL CONCESSIONS OFFSET BY AN INCREASE IN SIGNATORY LANDING FEES. I THINK THIS CAME UP YESTERDAY AND THERE WAS A QUESTION ASKED ABOUT IT. UM, THE REASON THAT, UH, THERE IS SUCH A, A, A DIFFERENCE THERE IS, UH, THAT WE'RE BEHIND SCHEDULE, UH, WITH, UH, THE INTERNATIONAL CENTRAL PROCESSOR, WHICH HAS DELAYED AN INCREASE IN FEES THAT WOULD'VE MET THESE ASSUMPTIONS. SO WHEN THAT, WHEN THAT UH, PROGRESSES, WHEN IT MOVES FORWARD, WE'LL SEE THOSE FEE INCREASES, UH, THAT WE, UH, WERE LOOKING FOR AT AIRPORT. UH, AND HAPPY TO GO INTO MORE DETAIL. OBVIOUSLY, I'M SURE THE AIRPORT WOULD BE HAPPY TO SHARE MORE DETAIL AS WELL. OPERATING EXPENSES DECREASED BY $5.1 MILLION, DRIVEN BY LOWER SUPPLIES AND SERVICES COSTS AND DELAYS IN NON-CAPITAL EQUIPMENT PURCHASES PARTIALLY OFFSET BY HIGHER PERSONNEL COSTS. NON-OPERATING REVENUES INCREASED BY $12.3 MILLION DUE TO HIGHER INTEREST INCOME AND AN OPERATING TRANSFER TO THE AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT FUND DECREASED BY $9.3 MILLION FOR COMBINED UTILITIES. OPERATING REVENUES DECREASED BY $74.2 MILLION DUE TO A DECREASE IN WATER AND SEWER REVENUES. I BELIEVE THIS CAME UP YESTERDAY AS WELL. WE'RE STILL DIGGING TO UNDERSTAND THE DETAILS OF THAT. WHAT WE'VE GOTTEN SO FAR IS WITH HALF A MILLION CUSTOMERS, VARIATION CAN HAPPEN AND SORT OF THAT'S THE ANSWER, BUT WE WANT TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF A BETTER UNDERSTANDING THERE. UH, OPERATING EXPENSES INCREASED BY $1.6 MILLION, PRIMARILY DUE TO AN ACCOUNTING ADJUSTMENT FOR INTER FUND 3 1 1 SERVICES, PARTIALLY OFFSET BY PERSONNEL SAVINGS, CONTRACT IMPLEMENTATION DELAYS AND LOWER WATER AUTHORITY CONTRACT DEBT PAYMENTS, NON-OPERATING REVENUES INCREASED BY $36.8 MILLION DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED IMPACT FEE COLLECTIONS, JUDGMENTS AND CLAIMS AND RECOVERIES AND REFUNDS AND OPERATING TRANSFERS DECREASED BY 83 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS, PRIMARILY DUE TO LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED TRANSFER TO THE STORMWATER FUND, UH, AND ACCOUNTING ADJUSTMENTS FOR 3 1 1 SERVICES AND DELAYS IN CAPITAL EQUIPMENT PURCHASES FOR OUR DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL FUNDS, UH, WITHIN AVALOR EXPENDITURES, DECREASED BY $0.7 MILLION TO REFLECT LOWER PAYMENTS TO THE CHAPTER THREE 80 PROGRAM. UH, OUR METRO FUND REVENUES DECREASED BY $5.4 MILLION DUE TO LOWER REIMBURSEMENT, UH, FOR STREET AND TRAFFIC OPERATING COSTS FROM THE METRO MOBILITY PROGRAM. UH, AND WITHIN METRO EXPENDITURES, ALSO DECREASED BY $2.3 MILLION DUE TO LOWER SERVICE CHARGEBACKS FOR VEHICLE FUEL AND PURCHASES FOR CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND CAPITAL EQUIPMENT. UH, FOR THE STORM WATER FUND REVENUES DECREASED BY $37 MILLION DUE TO LOWER TRANSFERS FROM THE COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM. EXPENDITURES DECREASED BY $19.7 MILLION, PRIMARILY DUE TO LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED DEMOLITION SERVICES. AND WE ARE PROJECTING NO MATERIAL CHANGES, UH, FROM LAST MONTH FOR CONVENTION ENTERTAINMENT OR THE REMAINING DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL FUNDS FOR COMMERCIAL PAPER AND BONDS. THE CITY'S PRACTICE HAS BEEN TO MAINTAIN NO MORE THAN 20% OF THE TOTAL OUTSTANDING DEBT FOR EACH TYPE OF DEBT IN A VARIABLE RATE STRUCTURE, WHICH IS IN LINE WITH RATING AGENCY GUIDANCE OF 25%. UH, FROM TIME TO TIME. THE CITY'S CREDITS HAVE EXCEEDED THIS THRESHOLD ON AN INTERIM BASIS AS THEY UNDERTAKE LARGE CAPITAL PROJECTS. UH, AS OF FEBRUARY, 2026, THE RATIO OF UNH VARIABLE RATE DEBT FOR CONVENTION AND ENTERTAINMENT WAS 62.26%, UH, DUE TO THE GEORGE R. BROWN EXPANSION, UH, THE FINANCING THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW WILL ADDRESS THIS. THE RATIO OF UNH VARIABLE RATE DEBT FOR EACH OF THE OTHER TYPE OF OUTSTANDING DEBTS, UH, REMAIN WELL BELOW THAT 20% THRESHOLD. UH, SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY ON THIS FINANCING, UH, ON MARCH 5TH, THE CITY PRICED $1.38 BILLION IN BONDS TO RESTRUCTURE THE CONVENTION CENTER DEBT AND FUND PHASE ONE OF THE CONVENTION DISTRICT TRANSFORMATION PROJECT. UH, DESPITE MY NOTES SAY SOME MARKET VOLATILITY, DESPITE A LOT OF MARKET VOLATILITY, UH, INVESTOR DEMAND WAS VERY STRONG, ALLOWING US TO TIGHTEN PRICING AND SECURE AN ALL IN COST OF 4.85 UH PERCENT. UH, THE MAYOR WAS CORRECT IN NOTING AN UPGRADE IN THE RATING OF THE CONVENTION CENTER THAT IS NOT THE SAME AS AN UPGRADE OF THE CITY'S GENERAL DEBT, UH, WHICH IS STILL ON A NEGATIVE OUTLOOK FROM TWO OF OUR THREE RATINGS AGENCIES. THE REMAINING PORTION OF, UH, THE CONVENTION CENTER FINANCE IS CLOSING TODAY. UH, I WANT TO THANK TREASURER OF VERNON LEWIS, DIRECTOR MELISSA DEBOWSKI, UH, HOUSTON FIRST, CFO, [03:15:01] FRANK WILSON, AND THE ENTIRE FINANCIAL WORKING GROUP, UH, FOR THEIR WORK IN PARTNERSHIP, UH, IN MAKING THIS FINANCE HAPPENING. ALRIGHT, UH, PIVOTING TO OTHER RECENT EVENTS, UH, AS WE CONCLUDE WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH. UH, LAST WEEK OUR OFFICE HOSTED AN IMPORTANT ROUND TABLE EVENT THAT BROUGHT TOGETHER DIRECT SERVICE PROVIDERS, WORKFORCE LEADERS, PHILANTHROPISTS, AND RESEARCHERS TO DISCUSS IMPROVING ECONOMIC OUTCOMES FOR HOUSTON MOTHERS AND CHILDREN. UH, AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, HARRIS COUNTY HAS THE HIGHEST MATERNAL MORTALITY RATES IN THE NATION, AND WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A DIRECT INTERSECTION BETWEEN THESE MORTALITY RATES AND FINANCIAL STABILITY. AND SO THIS CONVENING BEGAN A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE BRIDGE THAT CONNECTION HERE IN HOUSTON. THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE IS COMMITTED TO CONNECTING FINANCIAL DATA WITH REAL HUMAN OUTCOMES, BECAUSE IF WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT THE ECONOMIC FUTURE OF THIS CITY, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT INCLUDES HEALTHY MOTHERS AND HEALTHY FAMILIES. UH, SPECIAL THANKS TO COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN FOR TAKING PART IN THAT DISCUSSION. UH, IF ANY OF YOU AROUND THIS HORSESHOE WOULD LIKE TO JOIN US, UH, FURTHER IN THIS WORK, PLEASE REACH OUT, UH, TO OUR OFFICE. WE'D LOVE TO INVITE YOU INTO THAT CONVERSATION. UH, ON MARCH 17TH, THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE, UH, AND THE CITY HOSTED THE 10TH ANNUAL HOUSTON INVESTOR CONFERENCE. UH, AT THIS YEAR'S CONFERENCE, WE HEARD FROM CITY AND COUNTY, UH, FINANCIAL LEADERS AS WELL AS SCHOOL DISTRICT FINANCIAL LEADERS, UH, FROM EXPERTS WHO WERE SHAPING ENERGY TRANSITION AND CAPITAL MARKETS. AND FROM BRIAN DANIEL, THE TEXAS PRESIDENT OF THE NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE, UH, THE CONFERENCE SHOWCASE HOUSTON STRENGTH AND THE CITY'S ATTRACTIVENESS AS A DESTINATION FOR CONTINUED GROWTH AND INVESTMENT. AND SO, UH, FIRST I WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS AND HIS ABSENCE FOR JOINING US THERE. UH, AND THANK YOU AGAIN TO DIRECTOR DEBOWSKI, UH, AS WELL AS SOME OF OUR DEPARTMENT, UH, LEVEL CFOS, UH, CLINT STEVEN FROM AIRPORT, UH, SAMIR SOLANKI FROM PUBLIC WORKS, AND AGAIN, FRANK WILSON FROM HOUSTON FIRST, UH, FOR SHARING THEIR INSIGHTS AND THEIR PLANS, UH, FOR THE FUTURE. UH, BIG SHOUT OUT TO VERNON LEWIS AND THE TREASURY TEAM, UH, FOR PUTTING THIS ON AS WELL AS TO THE ENTIRE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE, UH, WHO WORKED HARD TO BRING THIS CONFERENCE TOGETHER ONCE AGAIN. UH, AND WE'RE ALREADY LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR. UH, THIS PAST SATURDAY, THOUSANDS OF HOUSTONIANS TOOK THE STREETS FOR THE NO KINGS THREE MARCH. UH, A HUGE CROWD WAS RIGHT HERE AT CITY HALL IN SOLIDARITY WITH MILLIONS OF AMERICANS. UH, AND WHAT WAS THE LARGEST SINGLE DAY POLITICAL DEMONSTRATION IN AMERICAN HISTORY. UH, AND FOLKS DIDN'T SHOW UP BECAUSE THEY WERE TOLD TO, UH, THEY DIDN'T SHOW UP BECAUSE THEY WERE FORCED TO, UH, OR BECAUSE IT WAS CONVENIENT. THEY, THEY SHOWED UP BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED IN THE IMPORTANCE OF SECURING, UH, OUR DEMOCRACY. UH, I WANT TO THANK ALL THOSE WHO MARCHED INTO THE ORGANIZERS WHO WORKED TIRELESSLY BEHIND THE SCENES, UH, TO MAKE SATURDAY A REALITY HERE IN HOUSTON. UH, AND I ALSO WANNA THANK THE PARTICIPANTS FOR EXERCISING THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS PEACEFULLY, BECAUSE THAT WAS A CRITICALLY IMPORTANT PART OF THE SUCCESS OF THE EVENT. AND THEN FINALLY, A BIG THANK YOU TO HPD FOR ENSURING THE SAFETY OF ALL THE PARTICIPANTS, UH, AND ALL HOUSTONIANS AS THEY DO, UH, EVERY SINGLE DAY. UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, UH, I'LL CLOSE WITH THIS. UH, WE HAVE A PROBLEM AND WE NEED YOUR HELP TO FIX IT. MY ROLE IS TO BE THE TAXPAYER'S WATCHDOG. MY OFFICE MONITORS THE CITY'S FINANCES, ANALYZES THE NUMBERS, AND PUTS CLEAR, ACTIONABLE INFORMATION IN FRONT OF YOU SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS. BUT THERE'S A DISCONNECT THAT WE HAVE TO SOLVE TOGETHER. WE'RE PROVIDING THAT INFORMATION, BUT IT'S NOT BEING ACTED UPON, AND THE RESULT IS WHAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING TO, UH, I FLEW THROUGH THIS REPORT, BUT DIRECTOR JONES, UH, GAVE MORE DETAIL YESTERDAY. WHAT WE'RE NOW FACING IS A $174 MILLION GENERAL FUND DEFICIT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026, THE LARGEST SINGLE YEAR DRAWDOWN IN THE HISTORY OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. IT HAPPENED ONE DECISION AT A TIME. THIS YEAR'S BUDGET WAS ADVERTISED AS BALANCED, EVEN THOUGH AT THE VERY OUTSET IT INCLUDED OVER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS OF DRAWDOWN OF THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND. UH, THAT WAS BROUGHT DOWN TO 76 BY THE TIME YOU VOTED ON IT. BUT EVEN WITH THAT 76, UH, FIRST OF ALL, WE KNOW THAT IT WAS NEVER BALANCED TO BEGIN WITH, BUT EVEN THAT 76 WAS BASED ON ASSUMPTIONS THAT WE KNEW WOULD NOT HOLD, UH, DURING BUDGET SEASON. THE 10 HARD TRUTH DOCUMENT THAT I SHARED WITH YOU, COUNSEL WITH YOU MAYOR, UH, WITH THE HOUSTON, UH, PUBLIC, LAID OUT THE REALITIES OF WHAT WAS IN THAT BUDGET AND WHAT WASN'T IN THAT BUDGET. TRUTH NUMBER TWO MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT TO ACHIEVE THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE THAT WAS IN THAT BUDGET, YOU WOULD HAVE TO RAISE TAXES. AND THAT WAS IMPOSSIBLE. IF YOU WEREN'T GONNA RAISE THE TAX RATE, YOU WOULD EITHER NEED TO LOWER THE BUDGET FIGURE OR COMMIT TO ALTERING YOUR TAX RATE. BUT NEITHER HAPPENED, AND THE RESULT WAS $53 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL DEFICIT [03:20:02] SPENDING. WE SAW THE SAME PATTERN WITH OVERTIME. TRUTH NUMBER SIX IN THAT DOCUMENT EXPLAINED THAT THE BUDGETS REPEATED, UH, THAT THE BUDGET REPEATED LAST YEAR'S OVERTIME MISCALCULATION AFTER SPENDING NEARLY $140 MILLION IN OVERTIME LAST FISCAL YEAR, THIS BUDGET ALLOCATED ONLY 64 MILLION WITHOUT ANY MEANINGFUL CHANGES TO OPERATIONS THAT WOULD BRING ABOUT THAT FIGURE. AND SO THAT GAP WASN'T GOING TO CLOSE ON ITS OWN, AND IT DIDN'T, AND THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL $50 MILLION IN DEFICIT SPENDING THAT YOU SAW IN TODAY'S FINANCIAL REPORT. AND THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER REVENUE AND EXPENSE CHANGES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, BUT JUST THOSE TWO DECISIONS ALONE ACCOUNT FOR THE ENTIRETY OF ESSENTIALLY THE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS INCREASE IN DEFICIT SPENDING THAT WE'VE TACKED ON SINCE JULY. THESE RISKS WERE IDENTIFIED, THE COSTS WERE QUANTIFIED, THE OUTCOME WAS PREDICTABLE, BUT DECISIONS DIDN'T REFLECT THESE KNOWN RISKS. AND THE OUTCOME THAT WE'RE SEEING SHOULD NOT BE A SURPRISE. WE SAW THE SAME PATTERN WITH THE FIRE CONTRACT IN JUNE, 2024. COUNCIL VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO APPROVE THAT AGREEMENT WITHOUT CLEARLY DEFINING THE FINANCIAL TRIGGERS THAT WERE TIED TO THE PAY ESCALATORS, THE RAISE THAT FIREFIGHTERS WOULD GET EACH YEAR, AND THOSE TERMS WOULD INCREASE THE CONTRACTS COST IF TRIGGERED BY OVER $120 MILLION. AT THE TIME WE PUT THAT RISK IN WRITING IN BOLD PRINT AND SHARED IT WITH EACH OF YOU WITHOUT CLEARLY DEFINING THOSE FIGURES. THE LIKELIHOOD OF DISAGREEMENT WAS HIGH AND THE FINANCIAL EXPOSURE THAT CAME WITH THAT WOULD BE HIGH. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT FOLLOWED. THE FIREFIGHTERS BELIEVED THAT THEY WERE ENTITLED TO THE MAXIMUM RAISE IN THE CONTRACT. THE MAYOR THOUGHT THEY SHOULD BE PAID THE LOWER NUMBER AND IT WENT TO ARBITRATION, AND THEN THE CITY LOST. NOW, TAXPAYERS ARE GONNA BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SIGNIFICANT BACK PAY TO FIREFIGHTERS ON TOP OF THE ALREADY COSTLY BACK PAY THAT THIS AGREEMENT WAS INTENDED TO RESOLVE IN THE FIRST PLACE. THAT'S EXPECTED, UH, WE STILL NEED TO GET INTO THE NUMBERS, BUT WE EXPECT ABOUT 10 OR $12 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL DEFICIT SPENDING THIS YEAR TO COVER THAT BACK PAY AND SOME OF THE RELATED COSTS. UH, THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE ANY LEGAL FEES ASSOCIATED WITH DEFENDANT IN THE MATTER. I'M NOT SURE IF THOSE EXIST OR NOT. AND TO BE CLEAR HERE, FIREFIGHTERS DESERVE TO BE PAID FAIRLY. THE ISSUE IS NOT THAT THE ISSUE IS WHETHER WE GET CLEAR ON THE TERMS UPFRONT SO THAT WE CAN BUDGET FOR THIS RESPONSIBLY. WHEN WE DON'T, WE END UP PAYING FOR IT ON THE BACK END AS YOU'RE SEEING NOW. AND THIS IS NOT ABOUT POINTING FINGERS BECAUSE WE CAN'T MOVE FORWARD THAT WAY. THIS IS ABOUT RECOGNIZING A PATTERN AND BEING ACCOUNTABLE TO CHANGING THAT PATTERN BECAUSE THE REALITY IS SIMPLE. WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT DON'T ALIGN WITH REALITY AND EXPECT ANYTHING BESIDES REALITY COMING BACK AROUND TO HIT US IN THE FACE. WE CAN'T BUDGET BASED ON ASSUMPTIONS THAT WE KNOW WON'T HOLD, AND WE CANNOT ASK HOUSTONIANS TO TRUST THE PLAN IF THE PLAN DOESN'T REFLECT THE TRUTH THAT WE ALL KNOW TO BE TRUE. WHEN THE NUMBERS DON'T ADD UP. THE IMPACT DOESN'T JUST STAY ON SHEETS OF PAPER. IT SHOWS UP IN PEOPLE'S LIVES. IT SHOWS UP IN REDUCED RESPONSE TIMES. IT SHOWS UP IN GARBAGE NOT BEING PICKED UP. IT SHOWS UP IN SERVICES NOT BEING DELIVERED OR REDUCED. WE ARE DEALING WITH MASSIVE SUMS OF MONEY HERE. IT'S A $7 BILLION BUDGET, BUT THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CURRENCY THAT WE HAVE IS PUBLIC TRUST. AND RIGHT NOW THE CITY'S ACTIONS ARE PUTTING THAT TRUST AT RISK. AND SO I'M ASKING FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP. LET'S BE HONEST ABOUT WHAT THINGS COST. LET'S BE DISCIPLINED ABOUT HOW WE PLAN AND LET'S ALIGN OUR DECISIONS WITH THE REALITIES THAT WE UNDERSTAND. OUR CHOICES UP TO THIS POINT HAVE, HAVE PUT US IN A HOLE, AND NOW WE HAVE TO DO THE HARDER WORK OF DIGGING OURSELVES OUT OF THAT HOLE, DELIBERATELY RESPONSIBLE, UH, RESPONSIBLY AND HONESTLY, UH, I STAND READY TO WORK WITH EACH OF YOU IN DOING THAT. THANK YOU. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT. GOOD MORNING. 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, WHICH IS DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED SALES TAX RECEIPTS, AS WELL AS A $14.2 MILLION INCREASE IN CHARGES FOR SERVICES, PRIMARILY DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED AMBULANCE FEES. WE ARE ALSO PROJECTING A $4.5 MILLION INCREASE IN MISCELLANEOUS AND OTHER, PRIMARILY DUE TO ANTICIPATED REIMBURSEMENT FROM CENTER POINT ENERGY AS WELL AS A VERIZON REBATE BASED ON OUR CONTRACT. WE'RE ALSO REFLECTING A $2.6 MILLION [03:25:01] INCREASE IN OTHER FRANCHISE FEES DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED CABLE TV FRANCHISE FEES AND SOLID WASTE HAUL FRANCHISE FEES, $1.8 MILLION INCREASE IN TRANSFER FROM OTHER FUNDS DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED TRANSFER FROM THE PARK HOUSTON FUND, AND A $1.5 MILLION DECREASE IN LICENSE AND PERMITS, WHICH IS DUE TO LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED SPECIAL FOOD PERMITS, MOBILE FOOD VENDOR LICENSES AND FOOD MANAGER PERMITS, WHICH IS DRIVEN BY LEGISLATIVE CHANGE AT THE STATE LEVEL. WE'RE ALSO REFLECTING AN $833,000 DECREASE IN INTEREST DUE TO LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED INTEREST EARNINGS IN POOLED AND INVESTMENTS. UM, JUST TOUCHING ON SALES TAX RECEIPTS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY. I KNOW WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT AT THE COMMITTEE YESTERDAY ABOUT THE SALES TAX AUDIT THAT WE SAW, UM, LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME. UM, SO WHEN YOU ADJUST FOR THE, UH, ONE TIME ANOMALY AUDIT ADJUSTMENT THAT WE HAD LAST YEAR, UM, SALES TAX RECEIPTS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY, UH, WERE ABOUT 4.8% HIGHER THAN THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR. AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR, BUT IN ORDER TO MEET OUR CURRENT ESTIMATE OF 920.6 MILLION, THE REMAINING PERIODS FOR SALES TAX NEED TO COME IN, UH, FLAT TO THE PRIOR YEAR. SO WE THINK THAT'S STILL, UM, A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE. ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, THE EXPENDITURE PROJECTION IS 77.6 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE ADOPTED BUDGET, AND IS $68 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE PRIOR MONTH. UM, AS WE DISCUSSED YESTERDAY AT THE COMMITTEE MEETING, THE VARIANCE IS PRIMARILY DUE TO, UH, $51 MILLION INCREASE IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO REFLECT, UH, PRIMARILY DUE TO CLASSIFIED OVERTIME, UM, EQUIPMENT FOR NEW CADETS TERMINATION PAY PHASE DOWN, UM, AS WELL AS BILLING COLLECTION FEES. ALSO IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE'RE REFLECTING A $15.6 MILLION INCREASE TO REFLECT CLASSIFIED OVERTIME AND HIGHER, UH, HPD IT RELATED COST. UM, WE'RE ALSO OFFSETTING THAT, UM, WITH SOME VACANCY SAVINGS IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND, UM, A VARIETY OF OTHER SAVINGS THAT THE CONTROLLER ALREADY MENTIONED IN HIS SPEAKING NOTES. SO I WON'T GO OVER ALL OF THOSE INDIVIDUALLY. UM, PUTTING ALL THOSE TOGETHER, THE EXPENDITURES AND THE REVENUES WE'RE CURRENTLY PROJECTING THE ENDING FUND BALANCE TO BE 323.8 MILLION, WHICH IS ABOUT 30 MILLION LOWER THAN THE PRIOR MONTH, AND REPRESENTS 12.4% OF ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES, NOT INCLUDING DEBT SERVICE. AND YOU PAY AS YOU GO. UH, THIS PERCENT OF FUND BALANCE AND THE AMOUNT OF FUND BALANCE IS STILL SLIGHTLY ABOVE WHAT WAS CONTEMPLATED AT THE TIME OF THE ADOPTED BUDGET. UH, EVEN WITH THE DECREASE IN PROPERTY TAX AND THE INCREASE OF EXPENDITURES THAT WERE REFLECTING IN THIS REPORT. UM, AT THE TIME OF THE ADOPTED BUDGET, WE WERE PROJECTING THE ENDING FUND BALANCE TO BE JUST ABOUT 12%. SO WE'RE STILL SLIGHTLY ABOVE THAT, UM, PRIMARILY DUE TO, UH, BETTER THAN EXPECTED PERFORMANCE IN FISCAL YEAR 25, AS WE DO TEND TO BUDGET CONSERVATIVELY. SO THAT FUND BALANCE THAT WE ARE PROJECTING REPRESENTS 128 MILLION ABOVE THE MINIMUM OF HOLDING 7.5% OF EXPENDITURES, NOT INCLUDING DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO. UM, THE CONTROLLER, UH, ALREADY WENT OVER ALL OF THE ENTERPRISE, UM, PROJECTIONS, SPECIAL REVENUE FUND PROJECTIONS, AND HIS OFFICE AGREES WITH OUR PROJECTIONS, UM, IN THOSE AREAS. SO I WON'T, UH, GO OVER ALL OF THOSE AGAIN. UM, I DO WANT TO, UM, CLOSE AND REITERATE SOME OF THE CONTROLLER'S REMARKS ON THE BOND TRANSACTION THAT THE FINANCE WORKING GROUP HAS BEEN COLLABORATING ON OVER THE LAST, I CAN'T EVEN SAY MONTHS. IT'S BEEN OVER THE COURSE OF A FEW YEARS AT THIS POINT THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS IMPORTANT TRANSACTION FOR THE CITY. UM, AS THE CONTROLLER MENTIONED, WE UH, WORKED TOGETHER IN MARCH TO PRICE THE BOND TRANSACTION, UM, WHICH IS GENERATING ABOUT $1.4 BILLION OF FUNDING FOR THE CONVENTION ENTERTAINMENT CREDIT FOR THE CITY. UM, THE UNDERWRITING SYNDICATE WAS LED BY, UH, JOINTLY LED BY JP MORGAN AND RAMIREZ. AND TOGETHER THEY, UH, BUILT A REALLY STRONG BOOK OF ORDERS. UH, THERE WAS INCREDIBLE DEMAND BY THE INVESTORS, UM, THAT ALLOWED US TO FURTHER NEGOTIATE THE INTEREST RATES LOWER, UM, AS WE SEEK TO KEEP THE COST OF BORROWING AS AFFORDABLE AS POSSIBLE. UM, AS THE CONTROLLER MENTIONED, THERE WAS, THERE WAS REALLY STRONG INVESTOR DEMAND. THERE WERE OVER A HUNDRED DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS THAT PUT IN ORDERS, UM, FOR THIS TRANSACTION. UM, THE CREDIT, UH, WAS UPGRADED BY S AND P FROM A SINGLE A TO A DOUBLE A MINUS RATING, UM, WHICH ALLOWED US TO PRICE THE BONDS AT AN INTEREST RATE OF 4.8, UH, 5% AS THE CONTROLLER MENTIONED. UM, THE TRANSACTION IS SCHEDULED TO CLOSE LATER TODAY, UH, THIS MORNING. UM, AND ON THE, UH, JUST GOING BACK TO, UM, A LITTLE MORE RECAP ON THE DAY OF PRICING, IT WAS A VERY CHOPPY MARKET AS THE CONTROLLER MENTIONED. UM, WITH THE WAR OUTBREAKING JUST THE WEEKEND BEFORE, UM, EVEN STILL THE INVESTOR INTEREST WAS VERY STRONG. UM, AS INVESTORS CLEARLY BELIEVE IN HOUSTON'S FUTURE AND WANT TO INVEST IN HOUSTON, THE BOND PROCEEDS, AS YOU ALL KNOW, ARE GONNA BE USED TO FACILITATE THE EXPANSION OF THE GEORGE R. BROWN, UH, WHICH IS A PROJECT THAT'S HUGELY IMPORTANT TO MOVING OUR ECONOMY FORWARD AND BRINGING IN SOME OF THOSE LARGER CONVENTIONS, [03:30:01] UM, THAT WILL GENERATE ADDITIONAL, UH, REVENUE FOR YEARS TO COME. SO THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR REPORTS. UH, CONTROLLER, CAN YOU GO BACK OVER THE FIGURE THAT YOU SAID, UM, WAS SPENDING INCREASE FOR HFD AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR REPORT? SURE. SO THE OVERALL, UH, FIGURE FOR FIRE IS AN INCREASE OF $50.6 MILLION, UM, WITHIN THAT $39 MILLION, IS THAT CORRECT? DIRECTOR? UH, IS OVERTIME 39? YES. OKAY, THANK YOU, DIRECTOR. THE LAST TIME WE SPOKE, WHEN YOU WERE AT THE, UH, PODIUM FOR THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT, YOU AGREED THAT, UH, WE HAVE A SPENDING PROBLEM. I'VE ALWAYS, UM, REALLY TRIED TO FOCUS ON THE FIVE YEAR FORECAST. WHERE ARE WE WITH THAT? BECAUSE I ALWAYS TRY TO DRIVE DOWN ON YOUR ESTIMATES. ARE WE STILL AT A BASELINE, WHICH WOULD BE CLOSE TO ABOUT $500 MILLION, UM, IN 2030 AS A DEFICIT, OR WITH THESE NUMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN PROJECTED BASED ON, UM, THE ADDITIONAL INCREASES THAT THE CONTROLLER HAS MENTIONED IN HIS REPORT? DOES THAT NOW PUSH US EVEN FURTHER INTO A, UM, A LARGER DEFICIT IN THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST IN YOUR ESTIMATION? SO LAST MONTH WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE, UM, LOOKING AT THE SPENDING PROBLEM, UM, I CAN'T, I'D BE REMISS IF I DON'T RE REITERATE THE ERNST AND YOUNG CITYWIDE EFFICIENCY STUDY, RIGHT WHERE WE LOOKED AT, UM, LOOKING AT THE DUPLICATION WE HAVE, WE MOVED FORWARD WITH CONSOLIDATIONS, REORGANIZATION, UM, WE DID THE RETIREMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAM. A LOT OF THOSE THINGS IN THAT REPORT ALLOWED US TO, UH, DECREASE, UM, ITEMS IN THE BUDGET THAT OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, RESULTED IN EVEN MORE EXPENDITURES THIS FISCAL YEAR. UH, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO BE CONTINUING TO IMPLEMENT THE FINDINGS OF THAT REPORT AS WE GO THROUGH THE, EVEN THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST. UM, THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST IS GONNA BE REFRESHED, OF COURSE, WHEN WE GO TO PROPOSE THE BUDGET. UM, AND WE'LL SEE THOSE, THOSE FIGURES THERE. UM, ONE THING WE DID TALK ABOUT YESTERDAY IN THE COMMITTEE MEETING, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ, ASKED ABOUT IT SPECIFICALLY, WAS, UM, LOOKING AT HOW WE DO BUDGET FOR OVERTIME AND SOME OVERTIME IS UNPREDICTABLE DUE TO EVENTS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL. UM, BUT REALLY TAKING A HARD LOOK AT, UM, OVERTIME THAT'S MORE OPERATIONAL IN NATURE AND REGULAR IN NATURE. SO I THINK THAT YOU WILL SEE A CHANGE IN HOW WE BUDGET FOR THAT THIS YEAR. SO THE 50 MILLION THAT THE CONTROLLER IS SPEAKING OF, OF A HFD INCREASE, PLUS THE 53 MILLION THAT CAME FROM THE ADDITIONAL COST THAT WE ABSORBED BASED ON NOT CHANGING THE TAX RATE, THAT A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS COMBINED SHOULD IMPACT THE FIVE YEAR FORECAST, UH, IN MY OPINION, SIGNIFICANTLY. WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU AGREE WITH THAT? THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER MOVING PIECES IN THE FORECAST, RIGHT? SO, UM, EVEN SALES TAX, FOR EXAMPLE, SALES TAX IS OUR SECOND LARGEST REVENUE SOURCE IN THE GENERAL FUND. THAT HAS OUTPERFORMED WHAT WE ANTICIPATED THE LAST TIME WE DID THE FIVE YEAR FORECAST. SO OF COURSE, WE STILL WANNA TAKE A CONSERVATIVE LOOK AT SALES TAX. WE USUALLY ADOPT A BUDGET ON SALES TAX PROJECTIONS. SOMEWHERE BETWEEN OUR, WE HAVE A PESSIMISTIC, A LIKELY AND OPTIMISTIC SCENARIO. WE USUALLY ARE BETWEEN THE PESSIMISTIC AND LIKELY SCENARIO. BUT EVEN THAT SCENARIO, YOU KNOW, IT GET, EVERYTHING GETS REFRESHED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. SO, UM, YES, YOU'LL PROBABLY SEE A MORE CONSERVATIVE PROJECTION ON PROPERTY TAX REVENUE IN THE, IN THE UPDATED FIVE YEAR FORECAST, BUT YOU MAY SEE OTHER AREAS THAT ARE REVENUES INCREASING OR OTHER EXPENDITURES DECREASING TO OFFSET. SO DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT WE'RE STILL AROUND THE BASELINE PROJECTIONS FOR THE FIVE YEAR FORECAST OF ALMOST $500 MILLION DEFICIT BY THE FIFTH YEAR OF THE FORECAST? YES, BETWEEN FOUR AND 500 MILLION. BUT THAT'S UNSUSTAINABLE IF, IF YOU HAVE A, IF YOU HAVE A PROJECTION THAT'S SHOWING THAT THE CITY WILL BE AT A $500 MILLION DEFICIT IN 2030, HOW, HOW COULD THE CITY FINANCIALLY, UH, SURVIVE WITH THOSE TYPE OF NUMBERS? I MEAN, I WOULD SAY THAT THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST AND THE BUDGETARY GAP THAT YOU SEE IN THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST IS, I THINK EVERYONE WOULD AGREE IS NOT NEW. RIGHT? WE'VE HAD A FIVE-YEAR FORECAST THAT CHOSE THE GAP, AT LEAST AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN AT THE CITY. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE DO WHAT WE CAN TO TRY TO BRING THAT BASELINE DOWN, CONTROL COSTS, UM, LOOK AT OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR REVENUE, FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN BE, BE MORE EFFICIENT. AND I MEAN, ULTIMATELY, OF COURSE WE HAVE [03:35:01] A FORWARD LOOKING AND ANYTHING WE DO IN A CURRENT FISCAL YEAR WILL HELP IN THE OUT YEARS. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE ADOPT THE ANNUAL BUDGET BASED, BASED ON WHAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT IN THAT YEAR. OKAY. AND LASTLY, UM, AS THE CONTROLLER MENTIONED, THE, THE FIRE UNION SEEMS TO BE, UM, WANTING TO PUSH FORWARD WITH THE ARBITRATION WITH THE CITY REGARDING, UM, CONTRACT DISPUTES. UM, THE ESCALATOR CLAUSE THAT HE MENTIONED, THE 3%, UM, HOLIDAY BUYBACK AND SAFETY PARAMEDIC, HOLIDAY TIME, TUITION REIMBURSEMENT, RETIREMENT PAYMENTS, UNIFORM ALLOWANCE, UH, LAUNDRY SERVICE. IF WE AREN'T ABLE TO, UM, SATISFY THE CURRENT TERMS OF OUR AGREEMENT AND WE HAVE TO PAY FOR ADDITIONAL COSTS TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, HOW IS THAT GONNA IMPACT, UM, THIS YEAR'S FISCAL BUDGET? MM-HMM . I THINK, UH, CITY ATTORNEY CAN PROBABLY WEIGH IN ON THAT, BUT, UM, WITH THE GRIEVANCE PROCESS, IF ANY OF THE ITEMS ARE DETERMINED BY THE ARBITRATOR THAT THEY WOULD IMPACT FUTURE YEARS, THEN WE WOULD NEED TO BUDGET FOR THAT IN A FUTURE YEAR. IF AN ARBITRATOR DETERMINES THAT IT'S ONLY AN IMPACT TO THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, THEN THAT WILL BE AN IMPACT TO THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, BUT NOT NECESSARILY TO THE OUT YEARS. I DON'T KNOW, ARTURO, IF THERE'S ANYTHING ALRIGHT, YOU, YOU CAN PUT ME BACK IN THE QUEUE. COUNCILMAN CAMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. GOOD MORNING TO BOTH OF YOU. UM, I WANTED TO START OFF, UH, CONTROLLER HOLLINS, THANK YOU FOR HOSTING, UH, THE WOMEN'S HISTORY, UH, ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION. UM, THERE WERE THINGS THAT WERE DISCUSSED AND BROUGHT UP IN THAT ROOM THAT I WAS NOT AWARE OF, SUCH AS THE FACT THAT ONE IN FOUR, UH, HOUSTONIANS, IT'S APPROXIMATELY 600,000 IN HARRIS COUNTY, ARE BANKLESS. THAT MEANS THAT THEY DON'T KEEP THEIR MONEY IN A BANK. THAT MEANS THEY'RE MUCH MORE SUCCESSFUL, ESPECIALLY WOMEN, UH, TO, UH, PREDATORY LENDING AND OTHER, UH, PREDATORY FINANCIAL SCHEMES. UH, SO AGAIN, TO BRING EVERYONE IN THAT ROOM, BUT I WANTED TO LIFT UP THAT WORK BECAUSE I WAS AGHAST AT THOSE NUMBERS, UH, AND HOW IMPORTANT THE WORK IS. AND AGAIN, BRINGING, UH, FINANCIAL EDUCATION AND LITERACY, UM, INTO THE COMMUNITY TO, TO PROTECT PEOPLE AND GIVE THEM A STRONGER FOUNDATION, UH, BECAUSE WE ALL NEED THAT. AND IT JUST, SO AGAIN, I WANTED TO LIFT UP THAT WORK. UM, CONTROLLER, I THINK YOU SAID, AND I DON'T WANNA MISQUOTE YOU, UM, THAT WE'RE FACING POTENTIALLY THE LARGEST B BUDGET DEFICIT IN CITY HISTORY. IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? THE LARGEST DRAW DOWN OF OUR GENERAL FUND, LARGEST DRAW DOWN. I, I, I WOULD CALL THAT DEFICIT SPENDING, BUT, UM, I'LL GIVE YOU THE TECHNICAL TERM. OKAY. AND, UM, DR. DUB BASQUE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD A, A COMMENT ON THAT OR A, A DIFFERENT INTERPRETATION, UH, BUT I WANTED TO GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND. I THINK THAT WHEN WE, IT'S IMPORTANT TO LOOK HISTORICALLY, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A, UM, YOU KNOW, IN OUR FIVE-YEAR FORECAST SLIDE PRESENTATION, WE DO SHOW THE HISTORICAL VIEW AT HOW MUCH IS DRAWN FROM FUND BALANCE AT THE END OF THE YEAR. UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A, THIS IS WHERE WE ARE TRYING TO TRUE UP THE ESTIMATES TO THE BUDGET AT THIS POINT IN TIME. THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT STILL ARE GONNA HAPPEN BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR. UM, SO I THINK TO ME, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT. YEAH, I CAN'T REALLY AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THE CONTROLLER, BUT I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL BE REVISITING THE ESTIMATES EVERY SINGLE MONTH FROM NOW TO YEAR. I UNDERSTAND. UM, AGAIN, I THINK WE HAD A ROBUST CONVERSATION AT, AT FINANCE COMMITTEE YESTERDAY, UM, INCLUDING THE OVERTIME SPENDING. I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHERE I STAND ON THAT, WHERE I REALLY WANNA SEE THE CITY ACTUALLY INCORPORATING, UH, DISASTER RESPONSE INTO OUR BUDGET. UH, BECAUSE DEPARTMENTS DO NOT ACCOUNT FOR THAT WHEN BUDGETING AND PRESENTING THEIR BUDGETS FOR THE YEAR. UM, BUT ALL THAT BEING SAID, UH, I CAN CONTINUE TO BE CONCERNED. UM, I KNOW YOU JUST MENTIONED THAT SALES TAX OUTPERFORMED, UM, AND I'M, I SO APPRECIATE THAT WE TAKE A MUCH MORE CONSERVATIVE POSITION, BUT I'M ALSO VERY CONCERNED WITH THE, UH, OUTLOOK OR FORECAST IN THE COMING MONTHS. WE ALWAYS SEE, UH, FROM THE HOLIDAYS THROUGH MARCH, THE HIGHEST SALES TAX FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, RIGHT? MM-HMM . IT'S OUR TIME TO SHINE MM-HMM . UH, BUT AGAIN, WE'RE NOT ONLY FACING, UH, A LOWER LEVEL OF SALES TAX JUST CYCLICALLY, BUT WITH THE ECONOMY, UH, AND WHAT WE'RE FACING WITH SUCH AN UNCERTAIN AND UNSTABLE ECONOMY [03:40:01] IN MARKET RIGHT NOW. UH, SO I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING AS CONSERVATIVE AS POSSIBLE, UNDERSTANDING THAT WE COULD BE HEADING FOR A MUCH GRIMMER FINANCIAL OUTLOOK BASED ON WHAT THE MARKETS ARE DOING RIGHT NOW. UM, ALL OF THAT BEING SAID, I DID HAVE A QUESTION FOR, UH, OUR CITY ATTORNEY. UH, AND I CERTAINLY DON'T WANNA PUT YOU ON THE SPOT. UH, IT CAME TO LIGHT YESTERDAY. SOME OF US HAD NOT BEEN AWARE THAT, UM, ARBITRATION HAD CONCLUDED. AND ONE, I THINK THAT COUNSEL ABSOLUTELY NEEDS TO BE INFORMED ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF, UM, ARBITRATION, JUST AS WE SHOULD WITH LITIGATION. UH, I AM NOT AWARE, CONTROLLER, YOU MAY HAVE MENTIONED IT, OR DIRECTOR DEBOWSKI, YOU MAY HAVE MENTIONED IT, OF HOW MUCH WE'RE NOW ON THE HOOK FOR FROM THAT STEP UP CLAUSE. I KNOW THAT, AND COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER RAISED THIS YESTERDAY, UM, THERE WAS ROBUST DISCUSSION AND DEBATE DURING THE CONTRACT AT THIS HORSESHOE ABOUT THE CONCERNS ABOUT THE STEP UP. AND WE WERE TOLD, NO, IT'S NOT GONNA BE INTERPRETED A CERTAIN WAY. MM-HMM . UM, SO ONE I DIRECTOR, I KNOW YOU OFFERED, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT WORKS FOR CITY LEGAL. UM, I WOULD LIKE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO BE BRIEFED ON THE ARBITRATION PROCEEDINGS. AND TWO, I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THAT FURTHER. AND I DON'T KNOW IF EITHER OF YOU CAN ELABORATE ON THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF THAT. UH, YEAH. SO MY OFFICE CAUGHT ONE OF THIS AT THE SAME TIME THAT YOU DID, WHICH WAS WHEN COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER MENTIONED IT, UH, YESTERDAY. UM, I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT IT A LITTLE EARLIER THAN THAT. UH, OUR EARLY ESTIMATES, WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY DETAILS FROM ANY ARBITRATION RULING, NOTHING IN WRITING, BUT JUST OUR QUICK MATH PUTS US IN THE 10 TO 12% RANGE ON INCOME, UM, PARDON ME, 10 TO $12 MILLION RANGE, UM, ON PAYING FOR ADDITIONAL INCOME FOR FIREFIGHTERS. AND, UM, THERE'S STILL A BIT MORE TO DO THERE BECAUSE THEY'RE OVERTIME, RIGHT? THESE OVERTIME NUMBERS THAT WE JUST REPORTED TO YOU THAT COULD BE IMPACTED BY THE, BY THE 3% CHANGE, UH, RETIREMENT AND, YOU KNOW, OTHER THINGS WHERE FOLKS HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, TERMINATION PAY, ET CETERA, CAN BE IMPACTED. SO WE HAVE TO ACTUALLY GET THE RULING, WHICH WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN YET. UH, WE HAVE TO DIG INTO THE DETAILS AND THEN GO INTO SOME OF THOSE KIND OF FINER LINE ITEMS. BUT 10 TO $12 MILLION FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, UH, IS THE HIGH LEVEL ESTIMATE. DIRECTOR, I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU HAD A COMMENT, OR, AGAIN, I'M ASKING ALL THREE. I KNOW IT'S, I DON'T WANNA TAKE UP TOO MUCH TIME, BUT ANY DETAILS WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL. UH, THE, THE, THE ARBITRATION DECISION IS IT WAS RECORDED ORALLY. WE'RE TRYING TO GET A TRANSCRIPT OUT. THERE'S ALSO A CONSIDERABLE PLANNING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE BETWEEN PAYROLL AND HR TO IDENTIFY HOW THIS IS GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED. AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WELL WITH THE UNION ON THAT. SO THE INTENT HAS ALWAYS BEEN, AND I THINK STEVEN DAVID WILL PROVIDE THIS, IS TO PROVIDE A, UH, A DOCUMENT THAT SETS OUT WHAT OCCURRED, WHY, AS BEST AS WE CAN TELL IN THE PROCESS FOR DOING THAT. AND WHEN WAS ARBITRATION CONCLUDED OR FINALIZED? IT WAS AT THE BEGINNING OF RODEO WEEKEND. I CAN'T REMEMBER THAT EXACT DATE RIGHT NOW. OKAY. SO IT'S BEEN SEVERAL WEEKS AT LEAST, RIGHT? THREE OR FOUR WEEKS, YES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YEAH. COUNCILMAN POLLARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, WELL, I HAVE YOU HERE, DIRECTOR. I, I DID WANT TO ASK YOU, UM, ABOUT AN AGENDA ITEM THAT WE HAVE TODAY. UM, IT'S AGENDA ITEM 11, WHICH IS, UM, A SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR A $30 MILLION AWARD ON A PUBLIC SAFETY, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS EQUIPMENT, UM, ITEM. UM, I BELIEVE IT'S FOR, TO ASSIST WITH FIFA, BUT THESE, THESE OUT YEAR DOLLARS, ARE THAT, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE'LL GET REIMBURSED? ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THIS, UH, PARTICULAR ITEM I'M, I'M REFERENCING, AND CAN YOU GIVE SOME CLARITY TO US ON THAT? BECAUSE THESE, THESE DOLLARS AREN'T CURRENTLY WITHIN OUR FISCAL YEAR BUDGET MM-HMM . SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO, UM, PAY FOR THESE ITEMS AND WHAT IS THE REIMBURSEMENT PROCESS LIKE IN, IN, IN A TIMELINE? SURE. SO, UH, FIFA IS UNIQUE, RIGHT? WE HAVEN'T, UM, HAD A FIFA GRANT IN THE PAST, BUT TO THE BEST OF MY UNDERSTANDING, UM, WE'VE RECEIVED THE GRANT AWARD, UM, FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. WE'VE HAD A COUPLE DIFFERENT GRANTS. SO WE HAVE, UM, UH, WENT TO COUNCIL EARLY ON IN MARCH TO, UM, GET THE AUTHORIZATION TO APPLY FOR AND ACCEPT THE GRANTS. UM, ONE OF THEM IS $65 MILLION THAT'S GONNA BE USED PRIMARILY FOR, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY BARN POLICE OVERTIME, REAL FOCUSED ON EMS. UM, SOME [03:45:01] IT COMPONENTS THERE RELATED TO CYBERSECURITY. UM, THERE'S SEPARATELY A GRANT, UM, FOR, UH, $15 MILLION. AND THEN THIRDLY, THERE'S SOME UAC FUNDING GRANT FUNDING THAT WE'RE GONNA BE UTILIZING. SO THE WAY THE GRANT PROGRAMS WORK IS THEY ARE REIMBURSEMENT BASED. SO IN ORDER TO, UM, ORDER THE EQUIPMENT WE NEED, GET TRAINED ON IT, RECEIVE IT TIMELY, UM, WE DO NEED TO, AS WE DO WITH ALL OTHER REIMBURSEMENT BASED GRANTS FRONT, SOME OF OUR CITY FUNDING, WHICH WE DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE TO DO UNTIL WE DO HAVE THOSE GRANT AWARDS, WHICH WE HAVE THAT IN HAND NOW, THE GRANT AWARDS. UM, AND SO THAT ALLOWS US TO ORDER THE EQUIPMENT SO THAT WE CAN RECEIVE A TRAIN ON IT, AND THEN WE WILL SEEK THE REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. SO OF COURSE, WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE FEDERALLY COMPLIANT PROCUREMENT PROCESS, UM, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE WE'RE FOLLOWING ALL OF THE, THE RULES AND REGULATIONS LAID OUT WITH THE GRANTS. AND, UM, LASTLY, UM, A COUPLE YEARS AGO, THE MAYOR, UM, STATED THAT HE BELIEVED THE CITY WAS BROKE. UH, THE CONTROLLER JUST REFERENCED THAT WE ARE NOW FACING THE LARGEST DRAWDOWN IN THE CITY CITY'S HISTORY. SO IF WE WERE BROKE THEN, AND THIS IS THE LARGEST DRAWDOWN EVER, WOULD YOU CONSIDER US EVEN MORE BROKE, MORE POOR THAN WE WERE BEFORE? WHERE, WHERE DO WE STAND? WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK, UM, TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THE THINGS IN THE ERNST AND YOUNG EFFICIENCY STUDY TO BRING DOWN THE EXPENDITURES WHERE WE CAN. UH, BUT WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. AND YOU'RE GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA SEE THAT IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER AT THE TIME THAT THAT STATEMENT ABOUT BEING BROKE WAS MADE. WE ACTUALLY HAD THE HIGHEST FUND BALANCE IN OUR CITY'S HISTORY. WE'VE SINCE BEEN, WHAT WAS THAT FUND BALANCE AT THE TIME? CONTROLLER? UH, IT WAS GETTING CLOSE TO $600 MILLION. IT WAS JUST, UH, IN THE HIGH FIVE HUNDREDS. UM, NOW AGAIN, WE'RE PROJECTING, UH, 3 0 7 AT THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR. UH, UH, THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT IS PROJECTING, I THINK, 3 24. SO THAT'S WHERE WE STAND. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. FOLLOWING UP ON COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN'S COMMONS, UM, MR. MICHELLE, WILL YOU COMMIT TO PROVIDING A COPY OF THE ARBITRATION PROCEEDINGS, THE FULL TRANSCRIPT TO COUNSEL? YES. OKAY. UM, AND WILL YOU ALSO COMMIT TO ALLOWING COUNSEL TO CONSULT BEFORE MAKING A DETERMINATION ON WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GOING TO APPEAL THE JUDGMENT BEFORE MAKING PAYMENT? WE DON'T HAVE AN ABILITY TO, UH, APPEAL AN AR AN ARBITRATOR'S AWARD. IS THAT WHAT THE ARBITRATION AGREEMENT SAYS? THAT WE CANNOT APPEAL? YES. OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE? THANK Y'ALL. MOTION. THANK YOU. ACCEPT COUNCILOR ALCO. COUNCILOR ALCORN. I MOVE TO ACCEPT THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT DATED FEBRUARY 28TH, 2026. SECOND CASTILLO MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU [CONSENT AGENDA] MR. SECRETARY. CONSENT CALENDAR, PLEASE. ALRIGHT. SINCE YOUR LIST WAS DISTRIBUTED, ALL ITEMS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED AND ARE NOW IN UNDER THE EXCEPT WORK CATEGORY. ITEMS ONE AND THREE HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. NEED A MOTION FOR ITEMS TWO AND FOUR? CAST? MOVE. SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES UNDER THE PROPERTY CATEGORY. NEED A MOTION FOR ITEM FIVE? CAST EXT. MOVE. SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES UNDER THE PURCHASE AND TABULATION OF BIDS CATEGORY. ITEM 11 HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. ITEM EIGHT IS IN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. NEED A MOTION FOR ITEM 6, 7, 9, AND 10. CAST. STATE A MOVE. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY ITEMS 21 AND 31 HAVE BEEN PULLED AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. ITEMS 19, 20 AND 33 HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE, SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE? WANNA ORDER? MAYOR, CAN I SQUARE AN ITEM BEFORE, BEFORE WE MOVE TO C? IT'S ON CONSENT, BUT I WANNA SQUARE. 13. NO, ON, WE ON, UH, NOT YET. I NEED TO TAG IT. MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES. SURE. I JUST WANT IT BEFORE WE DO GRAB IT. SURE. SO BEFORE VOTE, BUT WE HAVEN'T VOTED YET. UH, OKAY. I JUST NEED TO TAG NEXT. DO, DO WE NEED TO VOTE ON THE [03:50:01] TO VOTE ON CATEGORY? VOTE ON THE REST ON ORDINANCE CATEGORY, PLEASE. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE ATE. MOTION PASSES. ASK ART TO TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IF IT TAGS BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY DELAY. UR. YEAH. IF AN ITEM'S TAGGED, YEAH. PROCESS COUNCIL MEMBER, I WOULD ADVISE RATHER THAN A TAG TO POSTPONE IT TO THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING. WE'RE IN A STRANGE SITUATION NOW BECAUSE OF THE HOLIDAY ON FRIDAY. WE HAD TO POST YESTERDAY. SO WE HAVE THE INABILITY TO POST A TAG ITEM. IT'S BETTER IF YOU MOVE TO POSTPONE, IT'LL HAVE THE SAME EFFECT. SURE. OKAY. YOU WANT ME TO, DO I NEED TO MOTION TO RECONSIDER AND THEN MOVE. MOTION. RECONSIDER. DO DO I NEED TO MOTION TO RECONSIDER? NO. WE'LL, WE'LL ASK YOU FOR YOUR MOTION WHEN WE CALL THE, OKAY. YOU'RE GONNA CALL IT UP? OKAY. YES. YEAH. OKAY. STARTING WITH ITEM, MOVE NEXT. YEP. ITEM ONE [CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA] NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX. TATUM, MOVE. SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSING A MOTION PASSES. ITEM THREE NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX TATUM, MOVE. SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED. A MOTION PASSES. ITEM 11 NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX TATUM, MOVE. SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES TO OPPOSED NA. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 13 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. MAYOR, I MOVE TO POSTPONE. ITEM 13 TO THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING. SECOND. VERY WELL. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND TO POSTPONE. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NA. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 19 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. MAYOR PECK. COUNCILMAN PECK. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THIS IS THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE MEMORIAL CITY REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY FOR THE NEW PUBLIC SAFETY COMPLEX, INCLUDING THE APPROXIMATELY 100 ACRE FEET OF, UM, DETENTION FOR FLOODING MITIGATION. I KNOW I TALK ABOUT THIS ITEM A LOT, BUT MY CONSTITUENTS ARE SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS. EVEN, UM, IN AREAS THAT ARE AREN'T RIGHT CLOSE TO THE, UM, COMPLEX. EVERYONE IS JUST SO EXCITED, INCLUDING THE POLICE OFFICERS AND THE FIREFIGHTERS. UM, THE, UM, CURRENT STATION MAYOR, AS YOU KNOW, YOU'VE BEEN THERE, IS ONE OF THE OLDEST, IT IS THE OLDEST STATION THAT HAS NOT BEEN, UM, REDONE. AND SO, UM, THE OFFICERS ARE JUST REALLY EXCITED ABOUT HAVING A NEW FACILITY. SO THANK YOU AGAIN, MAYOR. AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THIS PROJECT TOO. VERY GOOD. JUST NEED VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. GOOD JOB. ITEM ITEM 20 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 33 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY, MAKE PARDON. COUNCILMAN CAYMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, THIS IS, UH, CLOSE TO $50 MILLION, UM, OVERLAY CONTRACT AND PACKAGE. UH, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY 'CAUSE DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS HAD RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM PUBLIC WORKS PREVIOUSLY, UH, I THINK 5:00 PM THURSDAY, THAT SAID THAT ANY OF OUR LANE MILE ALLOCATIONS FROM FY 26, UH, WOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE CAPACITY. BUT WE WOULD HAVE FY 27 WHAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO SAY. AND I CLEARED THIS UP WITH DIRECTOR MACKEY, SO I WANTED TO THANK HIM. AND THE DEPARTMENT IS THAT ANY OF OUR DESIGNATED FY 26 LANE MILES CAN STILL BE SUBMITTED, WILL STILL MOVE FORWARD, BUT THEY WILL GET DONE IN FY 27. SO I JUST WANTED TO CLEAR THAT UP. I DIDN'T WANNA HOLD THIS PACKAGE UP, MAYOR, BUT AGAIN, UM, THE DISTRICT LANE MILES ARE SOMETHING THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE PROTECT AND HONOR, UH, AS WE MOVE FORWARD. SO OUR APPRECIATION OF THE DEPARTMENT, WE RECOGNIZE THE CONSTRAINTS THIS YEAR, UH, BUT LOOK FORWARD TO THEM MOVING FORWARD IN FY 27. THANK YOU. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED MAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 42 [NON-CONSENT AGENDA] IS A MOTION TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING DATE TO PROVIDE A RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION FOR APPLICANT SEEKING 4% HOUSING TAX CREDIT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. CASTEX TATUM. MOVE, UH, TO SET THE HEARING DATE, UH, FOR THE 4% TAX CREDIT. SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 43 IS A MOTION TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING DATE TO PROVIDE A RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION FOR APPLICANT SEEKING 4% HOUSING TAX CREDIT IN THE CITY'S EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION. CASTEX TATU MOVED TO SET THE HEARING DATE, UH, FOR THE 4% TAX CREDIT, UH, FOR BOTH HEARINGS AT 9:00 AM [03:55:01] ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL THE EIGHTH, SECOND 2026. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED ANY MOTION PASSES. ITEM 44 IS A MOTION TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING. DATE ON, GO AHEAD. OH, ON RECOMMENDATION FROM THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION REGARDING AN AUTHORIZATION TO USE A PORTION OF DWIGHT EISENHOWER PARK FOR, FOR NON-PAR PURPOSES. CASTEX TATUM. MOVE TO SET THE HEARING DATE FOR 9:00 AM WEDNESDAY, MAY THE FIFTH, 2026. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED MAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM [MATTERS HELD] 45 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. POLLARD COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD TAX. BUT CO COUNCIL MEMBER, COULD YOU MAKE THAT A MOTION TO MOTION? MOTION, YEAH. TO POSTPONE INSTEAD TO THE REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING BECAUSE OF THE HOLIDAY, I MAKE A MOTION TO POSTPONE TO THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED SET. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. MOTION. DO YOU WANNA BE RIGHT COUNCIL NOW? YEAH, I'M ON, I'M ON. COUNCILMAN CAMAN. THANK YOU. AND I'M, I WILL SECOND THE MOTION. THIS IS JUST MERIT MY REQUEST. UM, WE HAD, I HAD RAISED THIS LAST TIME, UM, RELATED TO THE MONTROSE JUROR. THERE WERE OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS. WE STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED THOSE QUESTIONS. OUR UNDERSTANDING IS SOME OF THE BOARD IS OUT SICK. UM, SO WE'RE AT RESPECTFULLY ASKING FOR AN ADDITIONAL WEEK DELAY, AND I APPRECIATE COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD MAKING THAT MOTION. I SECOND VERY GOOD VOTE ON THE MOTION. MOTION IS TO POSTPONE. ALL IN FAVOR. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 46 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST ME TO VOTE. COUNCIL MAYOR P*****K. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, I TAGGED THIS ITEM A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. UH, IT IS AN ORDINANCE, UH, AUTHORIZING THE SUBMISSION OF AN ELECTRONIC APPLICATION FOR GRANT ASSISTANCE, UH, FROM THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR, UH, FOR THE NORTHEAST AND THE WEST SIDE DIVISIONS OF HPD FOR THEIR HOUSTON VIOLENT GANG CRIME SUPPRESSION GRANT. UH, THIS GRANT AMOUNT IS FOR $150,000. UH, I HAVE NO ISSUE WITH THIS GRANT. UM, AND I WILL BE VOTING FOR IT. UH, WE NEED ALL THE RESOURCES THAT WE CAN GET, UH, FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. THE ISSUE I HAD MAYOR, AS I SPOKE ABOUT PREVIOUSLY, WAS, UH, THAT MY OFFICE HAS BEEN, UM, TRYING TO PUT FORTH OVERTIME DOLLARS, UH, FOR THIS SAME DIVISION FOR THE WEST SIDE DIVISION, UM, THIS ENTIRE FISCAL YEAR, BUT HAS BEEN, UH, BLOCKED BY YOUR ADMINISTRATION FROM BEING ABLE TO ALLOCATE, UH, THOSE DOLLARS. UM, THE DOLLARS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO PUT FORWARD FOR OVERTIME WOULD BE FOR COMMUNITY POLICING, SPECIFICALLY THE DISTRICT J PATROL, UH, WHICH IS A MODERN APPROACH TO COMMUNITY POLICING. UH, WE KNOW THAT HPD IS SPREAD VERY THIN. THEY'RE GONNA PRIORITIZE THE RAPES, THE ASSAULT, THE MURDERS BEFORE SOME OF THE LOWER LEVEL QUALITY OF LIFE CRIMES AND VIOLATIONS. AND SO THE DISTRICT J PATROL WOULD ALLOW, UH, OFFICERS TO USE OVERTIME DOLLARS TO ADDRESS THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD RELATED CRIMES AND VIOLATIONS. AND RESIDENTS WOULD GO TO DISTRICT J PATROL.COM, UH, TO PUT IN THEIR SUBMISSIONS. THIS HAS BEEN A PROGRAM, MY, MY MOST SIGNATURE PROGRAM THAT WE'VE RUN FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS THAT HAS A LOT OF SUPPORT, UH, FROM THE COMMUNITY. I, I WANT TO GO OVER SOME STATS ABOUT THIS PROGRAM REALLY QUICK JUST TO TELL YOU HOW SIGNIFICANT IT IS. THE YEAR BEFORE YOU CAME INTO OFFICE MAYOR, UH, THIS SAME WEST SIDE DIVISION, WHICH ENCOMPASSES THE NOTORIOUS BINET TRACK, UH, WE FOCUSED ON COMMUNITY POLICING AND OVERTIME DOLLARS, UH, TO ADDRESS PROSTITUTION FROM 2023 TO 2024. UH, PROSTITUTION RELATED CRIMES OR PROSTITUTION DROPPED 80% FROM 146 OFFENSES TO 30. PURCHASING OF PROSTITUTION DROPPED 98% FROM 178 OFFENSES TO FOUR. THE PROGRAM THAT I PUT IN PLACE WORKS THE DA THE DATA FROM HPD REFLECTS THAT. NOW, EVER SINCE YOU CAME INTO OFFICE, THAT PROGRAM HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO GO FORTH IN THE SAME MANNER. AND WE'RE SEEING A UPTICK IN PROSTITUTION RELATED ISSUES ON THAT CORRIDOR. AND SO THE STATS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. UM, ANY EFFORT TO CURTAIL THIS COMMUNITY POLICING PROGRAM FROM GOING FORWARD IS JUST A DETRIMENT TO THE RESIDENTS AND THE BUSINESS OWNERS OF THAT AREA WHO DON'T DESERVE, UH, TO LIVE IN A COMMUNITY, UM, THAT HAS THESE TYPE OF ISSUES, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE IS A PROGRAM THAT I PUT IN PLACE TO DIRECTLY IMPACT IT FOR THE, FOR THE BETTER. AND SO I'M ASKING ONCE AGAIN, FOR THE DOLLARS FOR THE DISTRICT J PATROL AND COMMUNITY [04:00:01] POLICING TO BE, UM, ACCEPTED SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE ON WITH THE SAME SUCCESS THAT WE HAVE IN THE PAST. THANK YOU. ITEM 45. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES. NEXT 46 IS ITEM 46. 46. OKAY. 46. 46. MM-HMM . ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. I'M SORRY. MAYOR [MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS] PRO CA CAST BATU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. HAVE, UM, COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS AND SOME THINGS HAPPENING IN DISTRICT A, BUT, UM, BEFORE I GET TO MY DISTRICT, A ANNOUNCEMENTS, I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THE ARTEMIS TWO MISSION. UH, VICTOR GLOVER WILL BE THE, UH, FIRST BLACK ASTRONAUT TO TRAVEL TO THE MOON THIS EVENING. UM, HE ATTENDED THE NAVAL ACADEMY, AND, UM, REMEMBER, UH, COLLEAGUES IN 2023, ALL FOUR OF THE ASTRONAUTS CAME TO CITY HALL AND WE HOSTED THEM IN THE LEGACY ROOM. AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS DAY WOULD SOON BE COMING. SO VERY EXCITED THAT THIS IS HAPPENING. UM, UH, ASTRONAUT CHRISTINA CO. WAS ALSO OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT THE TML CONFERENCE THAT WE HOSTED HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AT, AT NASA. SO WE HAVE SOME GREAT CONNECTIONS, VERY PRAYERFUL, UM, FOR A SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH. AND ALL THAT WILL HAPPEN, UH, TODAY AS WE CONTINUE TO, UM, BE A LEADER IN IN, IN SPACE. AND, UH, THE MOON EXPLORATION. UH, ON APRIL THE NINTH, MY OFFICE IS GOING TO BE HOSTING OUR PRESIDENT'S ADVISORY COUNCIL FROM SIX TO 8:00 PM AT THE FOUNTAIN LIFE CENTER. UM, THIS, UH, EVENT, WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT OUR CURRENT CITY POLICIES, UM, SHORT TERM RENTALS, UM, AND THE CHANGES THAT WE'VE HAD, UH, IN OUR ORDINANCES. SO IF YOU ARE A CIVIC HUB PRESIDENT OR A SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD PRESIDENT, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE IN ATTENDANCE, UM, ON THIS MEETING. AND THEN I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS, UH, CONCRETE PANEL REPLACEMENT. WE'VE, WE ARE IMPROVING MOBILITY THROUGHOUT DISTRICT K. UM, WE WILL START THE, UH, PANEL REPLACEMENTS IN WESTBURY ON LUDINGTON DRIVE FROM BOB WHITE TO LANSDOWN. UH, THAT WORK IS EXPECTED TO BE, UM, STARTED ON APRIL THE SIXTH, AND SHOULD BE COMPLETE BY THE END OF THE SUMMER. WE'RE ALSO, UM, MOVING FORWARD ON THE CIP PROJECT FOR THE WESTBURY AREA DRAINAGE AND PAVING IMPROVEMENTS. UH, MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD US TALK ABOUT THE REPETITIVE FLOODING THAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, SO THIS IS ANOTHER PROJECT TO HELP US, UH, PREVENT WATER FROM GETTING INTO OUR CONSTITUENTS HOMES. UH, WE'RE ENCOURAGING RESIDENTS TO FOLLOW THIS PROJECT ON ENGAGED HOUSTON, UM, AND, AND SUBSCRIBING, UH, ON THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT, WHICH IS THE, UM, CIP WESTBURY AREA DRAINAGE AND PAVING IMPROVEMENT PROJECT. UH, WE HAVE A COMMUNITY BEAU BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT. THE TURS 25 IS HOSTING THIS PROJECT FROM SIX TO 8:00 PM AT THE FOUNTAIN LIFE CENTER. IF YOU WORK, LIVE, PLAY IN THE HY CLARK FORT BEND AREA, YOU'RE INVITED TO COME AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON HOW WE CAN SHAPE THE BEAUTY IN THE COMMUNITY. THIS SHOULD BE A VERY INTERACTIVE MEETING. UM, HOPE THAT RESIDENTS WILL COME AND LET THEIR FEEDBACK BE HEARD. UH, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE WORK THAT'S GOING FORWARD IS, UM, WHAT THE COMMUNITY WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN. KEEP HOUSTON. BEAUTIFUL. DAY IS APRIL THE 11TH. WE'VE GOT SEVERAL COMMUNITIES THAT ARE HOSTING EVENTS. UH, WE WILL HAVE A FIVE CORNERS NEW FAITH CHURCH, UH, INSPIRATION CHURCH. THE FOUNTAIN OF PRAISE, UM, IS THEY ARE ALL HOSTING A FAITH DAY, UH, BEAUTIFICATION DAY. AND THAT WILL BE ON APRIL THE 11TH, FROM EIGHT TO 12:00 PM AT THE FOUNTAIN LIFE CENTER. IF YOU LIVE IN SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 40, WE WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO ATTEND AND PARTICIPATE IN THIS, UH, FUN EVENT. AND THEN, UH, MAYOR, WANNA GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO JOBY ALLEN AND THE WORK THAT HE'S BEEN DOING ACROSS THE CITY. UH, THIS WAS OUR WEEK, UM, LAST WEEK AND PART OF THIS WEEK TO HAVE THE, UH, CONTRACTORS FROM FRONTIER IN OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP WITH HEAVY TRASH. AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT OUR HOT TEAM, UH, FOLLOWED THE CONTRACTORS AROUND THE DISTRICT. WE KIND OF HAD SOME HOTSPOTS THAT WE NEEDED SOME ASSISTANCE WITH. AND Y'ALL, THEY PICKED UP 53 TONS OF TRASH IN THREE DAYS. I MEAN, AND IT, IT WAS TRASH THAT WAS IN WEEDS OR IN BUSHES, OR IN DITCHES THAT OUR TRADITIONAL HOT TEAM COULDN'T GET TO. UM, SO THIS TYPE OF WORK REALLY HELPS US TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY CLEAN. SO SENDING A BIG SHOUT OUT TO JOBY ALLEN AND HIS TEAM AND ALL OF THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE TO HELP US KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES CLEAN. SO, [04:05:01] UM, WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT ASSISTANCE TO OUR, TO OUR HELP, OUR HOT TEAM, BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET THOSE, UM, AREAS CLEANED UP WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF FRONTIER AND THE GRAPPLER TRUCK AND THOSE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES. SO, UM, BIG SHOUT OUT TO OUR HOT TEAM AND AIR GOOD WINE FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE OVER THIS LAST WEEK, PICKING UP 53 TONS OF TRASH THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY. Y'ALL BE KIND TO EACH OTHER AND MAKE IT A GREAT DAY. VICE MAYOR PRO, TIM PECK. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, LAST WEEK WE HAD OUR CIVIC CLUB AND SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING, UM, TO HELP REVITALIZE SOME OF OUR, OUR GROUPS IN DISTRICT A I WANT TO THANK DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, DIRECTOR SIMS, RHONDA, DARLENE. UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING THERE AND HELPING TO ANSWER ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS. AND ALAN ALSO IN OUR OFFICE FOR SETTING THIS MEETING UP. IT, THERE WAS A GREAT TURNOUT AND, UM, A LOT OF INTEREST IN RESTARTING SOME OF THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS, SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. UM, AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE OUR TANNER ROAD, UH, MILLEN OVERLAY PROJECT THAT IS GOING TO BEGIN APRIL 6TH. IT IS FROM TRI TO CAMPBELL. UM, THIS IS TO REPAIR SOME, UM, DANGEROUS ROAD CONDITIONS. IT IS NOT THE BIG, UM, TANNER ROAD CIP PROJECT, BUT IT'S KIND OF AN INTERIM PROJECT, UM, TO ASSIST WITH SOME OF THE ROAD CONDITIONS. SO JUST WANT TO LET EVERYONE KNOW, UM, TO AVOID THAT AREA, THAT THERE'LL BE A LOT OF WORK DONE THERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MARTINEZ. THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR. FIRST I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR SPENDING SOME TIME WITH US LAST FRIDAY AND THE COMMUNITY AT THE CAFE CIA. I ALSO WANT TO, UH, SHARE MY APPRECIATION FOR, UH, CHIEF DIAZ FOR BEING PRESENT AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS I'VE SHARED WITH FOLKS. THIS IS, THIS HAS BEEN A, A SAFE SPACE FOR SEVEN YEARS, UM, WHERE A SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITY COMES IN. UH, THEY ARE HAVING POSITIVE INTERACTION WITH, UH, HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. UH, MORE IMPORTANTLY, JUST STRENGTHENING THE TRUST WHERE, QUITE FRANKLY, THIS IS THE WORK, UH, WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW, IT'S SHOWING UP, IS BEING PRESENT AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS. UM, I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A QUICK SHOUT OUT TO SOCHI FOR ORGANIZING THESE MEETINGS. SHE'S BEEN A VERY AMAZING CONSTANT FOR THE GROUP. UH, SOMEBODY THAT HAS HELPED, UM, REALLY ESTABLISH THE HOBBY AREA AS A, A SPACE WHERE FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY CAN BE SAFE AND TRUST, UH, UH, HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AS WELL. UM, I ALSO WANNA, UM, MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, UH, MY COLLEAGUES KNOW BIRD SCOOTER WILL BE ALONG BAGBY, UH, RIGHT AT IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING COUNCIL. UH, LAST WEEK, I HAD A FEW COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF, UH, THAT, THAT, UH, WERE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE SOME OF THE TECHNOLOGY THAT ULTIMATELY, UH, PROVIDES, UH, SELF-REGULATION FOR SOME OF THESE DEVICES. UM, AS WE ALL KNOW, WE'RE 71 DAYS AWAY FROM FIFA, AND MICRO MOBILITY IS IMPORTANT. UH, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT AS, UH, THOUSANDS OF FOLKS COME INTO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, THAT WE HAVE OPTIONS FOR THEM. SO IF YOU ARE AVAILABLE, I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO COME BY AND, UH, HAVE THESE, UH, VERY, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, OPEN DIALOGUES WITH, WITH THE, UH, WITH THIS, UH, ENTITY TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH SOME OF THE, UH, THE WORK THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE SELF-REGULATING THESE DEVICES, UH, ALLOWING US TO USE OUR RESOURCES IN OTHER SPACES. UM, LASTLY, I JUST WANNA WISH EVERYONE, UH, UM, WHO CELEBRATES, UH, EASTER. A HAPPY EASTER. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO ATTENDING MASS THIS SUNDAY. UM, AND JUST A REMINDER THAT TO BE WEATHER AWARE AND PREPARED FOR THE RAIN, UH, UH, IN CASE IT COMES. SO, THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN POLL. MAYOR, CAN WE GO BACK TO ITEM 44, MAYOR PRO, TIM? UH, COLLEAGUES, I'D LIKE TO, UM, MAKE A MOTION AND CORRECT THE DATE ON ITEM 44. UM, THE HEARING SUGGESTED DATE FOR THE HEARING SHOULD BE WEDNESDAY, MAY THE SIXTH, 2026, INSTEAD OF MAY THE FIFTH SECOND. MEMBERS, YOU'VE HEARD THE MOTION. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. AWESOME. THANK YOU. NOW COUNCILMAN P*****K. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, THIS PAST MONDAY, UH, MY OFFICE HOSTED THE, UM, COMMEMORATION FOR VIETNAM WAR VETERANS DAY, UM, AT THE HOUSTON VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL, WHICH IS IN, UH, CLUB CREEK PARK OF JAY CITY. UH, I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBERS DAVIS RAMIREZ AND ALCORN FOR BEING THERE AND STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER'S OFFICE. UM, THE VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL IS SOMETHING I'M EXTREMELY PROUD ABOUT. UH, MY FATHER, UH, SERVED AS A MARINE IN THE VIETNAM WAR, AND HE ALWAYS MENTIONED HOW WHEN, UH, HE AND HIS FELLOW SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN CAME BACK TO HOUSTON, THEY WERE NOT, UM, GIVEN A PROPER HERO'S WELCOME. UH, MANY OF 'EM FACED DISRESPECT AND RIDICULE AND NOT THE APPRECIATION FOR THEIR SACRIFICE AND THEIR SERVICE. AND SO I TOLD MYSELF, IF I EVER WAS ABLE TO, UH, BE ELECTED, I WOULD, UH, [04:10:01] TRY TO CONSTRUCT A MEMORIAL IN THEIR HONOR, UM, FOR A PROPER WELCOME HOME. AND SO THAT'S WHAT'S AT CLUB CREEK PARK. UM, I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL, IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN THERE, UH, AND THE PUBLIC TO PLEASE GO TO CLUB CREEK PARK AND CHECK OUT THE VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL. UH, IT GIVES THE COMPLETE HOUSTON STORY AND ALSO COMMEMORATES THE NAMES OF THOSE LIVES THAT WE LOST, UH, IN THE WAR, UH, FROM THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA. UM, THE CLUB CREEK PARK IS A, UH, IS A NEW GREEN SPACE, UM, IN JAY CITY, AND IT'S A $15 MILLION PARK, UM, AND SERVES NOT ONLY AS GREEN SPACE, BUT ALSO A DETENTION BASIN, UH, FOR FLOOD MITIGATION. UH, THE MEMORIAL IS A $1.5 MILLION, UM, INVESTMENT IN THAT COMMUNITY IN OUR CITY. UM, SOME OF THE DOLLARS CAME FROM OUR COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS, BUT A BIG HEAVY LIFT, UH, CAME FROM TUR 20, THE SOUTHWEST REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. AND SO, UM, IT WAS, IT WAS GREAT TO SEE, UH, THE VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES, UM, ON MONDAY. AND, UH, WE WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT WE THANK THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE. UM, SECONDLY, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE REST OF YOU ALL, BUT I WAS PRETTY ALARMED AT, UH, THE MONTHLY FINANCE REPORT THAT WE RECEIVED. I KNOW WE KIND OF GO OVER THESE NUMBERS KIND OF CASUALLY, UM, BUT THEY'RE REAL NUMBERS WITH REAL IMPACT. AND WHEN YOU HAVE, UH, THE CONTROLLER SAYING THAT WE'RE FACING THE LARGEST DRAW DOWN ON OUR FUND BALANCE IN THE CITY'S HISTORY, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING TO REALLY SERIOUSLY TAKE NOTE OF. OUR, OUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITY AS COUNCIL MEMBERS IS TO ENSURE THAT THE TAXES THAT THE, UH, RESIDENTS PAY ARE PUT TO GOOD USE, AND THAT WE'RE FINANCIAL STEWARDS OF THOSE TAXES, AND THAT WE SPEND THEM WISELY. AND RIGHT NOW, UH, WE HAVE A SPENDING PROBLEM. AND, UM, EACH MONTH THAT WE HEAR THESE REPORTS, WE DON'T HEAR OF REAL CHANGES, UH, TO OUR SPENDING HABITS THAT ARE PUSHING US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. AND THAT'S WHY I ALWAYS FOCUS ON THE FIVE YEAR FORECAST, UH, 2030. UM, SOME OF US WILL BE IN THESE SEATS AT THAT TIME, AND IT'S GONNA BE IMPORTANT THAT, UH, WE DO THINGS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE DRAWING DOWN ON THAT ESTIMATION OF 500 MILLION. THAT IS, THAT'S A BIG NUMBER. THAT'S A HUGE NUMBER. THE CITY CANNOT BE SUSTAINABLE WITH THESE TYPE OF NUMBERS. AND SO, AS WE GO INTO THE BUDGET SEASON, UM, I THINK WE ALL NEED TO TRULY REFLECT AND, AND ASK THE REAL QUESTIONS AND THE HARD QUESTIONS ON WHAT WE NEED TO DO, UH, TO CHANGE SOME OF THESE SPENDING HABITS THAT WE'VE SEEN. UH, AS THE CONTROLLER MENTIONED, JUST TWO YEARS AGO, WE WERE, WE HAD THE HIGHEST FUND BALANCE IN THE CITY'S HISTORY, AND NOW WE'RE FACING, YOU KNOW, MAJOR DEFICITS. AND SO, UM, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING I'LL BE FOCUSED ON, AND I, AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO DO THE SAME. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO BRIEFLY SPEAK ABOUT THE IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE THAT ALL OF US ARE GONNA HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE ON NEXT WEDNESDAY. UM, THIS ORDINANCE HAS TWO PROVISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN DEEMED LAWFUL BY THE CITY ATTORNEY, AND THEY DO TWO MAIN THINGS. THE FIRST IS THAT WE ARE GONNA FOLLOW THE FOURTH AMENDMENT, AND WHEN THE LAWFUL PURPOSE OF A STOP ENDS, THE PERSON MUST BE RELEASED. SO IF SOMEONE GETS PULLED OVER FOR A BROKEN TAILLIGHT, AFTER THAT TICKET IS ISSUED, THE PERSON MAY BE RELEASED. THAT HAS BEEN DEEMED LAWFUL BY THE CITY ATTORNEY AND HAS BEEN ADOPTED BY MANY OTHER JURISDICTIONS HERE IN TEXAS IN RESPONSE TO WHAT WE ARE SEEING ICE DOING. THE SECOND IS BUILT REBUILDING TRUST THROUGH TRANSPARENCY. SO ALLOWING ALL HOUSTONIANS TO UNDERSTAND HOW OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE BEING USED TO SUPPORT ICE OPERATIONS. AND IT WOULD PROVIDE PUBLIC REPORTING ABOUT HOW OFTEN HPD CONTACTS ICE, HOW LONG THE STOP IS, THE PURPOSE OF THE STOP, AND IF SOMEONE IS HANDED OVER TO ICE CUSTODY. THESE ARE VERY REASONABLE, RATIONAL, AND LAWFUL STEPS THAT MANY OTHER JURISDICTIONS HAVE TAKEN. AND IT'S OUR OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING MEANINGFUL ON THE COMPLAINTS AND CONCERNS WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM HOUSTONIANS ACROSS THE CITY ON THIS ISSUE. AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE MY WORD FOR IT, OR THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE SPONSORED THIS BILL. LAST NIGHT, WE HEARD FROM OVER 70 PEOPLE, CHILDREN, MOTHERS, FATHERS, PRIESTS, UNION ACTIVISTS, LABOR ACTIVISTS, CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS, ALL WALKS OF LIFE WHO SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE. AND THE ALMOST 60 COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE SIGNED THE LETTER OF SUPPORT. AND I JUST WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF THEM. THE TEXAS GULF COAST, A-F-L-C-I-O, WHICH REPRESENTS MORE THAN 60,000 MEMBERS AND 75 UNIONS, [04:15:01] HAS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE. THE EAST END ALLIANCE, THE ACL U, THE CHAIR OF THE HARRIS COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY, THE HOUSTON AREA URBAN LEAGUE, THE HOUSTON FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, THE HOUSTON LEADS COALITION, THE L-G-B-T-Q, POLITICAL CAUCUS, HOPE, OUR MUNICIPAL WORKERS JOLT, THE LATINO LEARNING CENTER, LULAC DISTRICTS EIGHT AND 18 SCIU, NUMEROUS SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS, TEXAS CIVIL RIGHTS PROJECT, TEXAS IMPACT, WHICH IS A COALITION OF MORE THAN 50 CHURCHES AND FAITH ORGANIZATIONS. THE TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT UNITE HERE, LOCAL 23, AND THE WORKERS DEFENSE ACTION FUND. SO MANY OF US HAVE STOOD HAND IN HAND WITH SO MANY OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT. I HOPE ALL OF US COLLEAGUES WILL STAND WITH THEM ONCE AGAIN AND VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS ORDINANCE NEXT WEDNESDAY. THANK YOU, UH, COUNCILMAN CARTER. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, AND JUST WANTED TO TAKE A, A MOMENT TO LAST WEEK WE HOSTED A RESOURCE FAIR, UH, TARGETED, UM, AUDIENCE WAS REENTRY, HOMELESSNESS, AND, UH, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, EITHER RESOURCE PROVIDERS OR NONPROFITS IN SEARCH OF RESOURCES. ANYWAY, WE HOSTED A, UM, REALLY GOOD OUTCOME. UH, HAD OVER 20 VENDORS AND ABOUT A HUNDRED PARTICIPANTS INVITED PARTICIPANTS OVER AT FONDE. AND WE'LL CONTINUE THAT WORK TO TRY TO CONNECT THE RESOURCES TO THE NEEDS. ALSO TO, UM, JUST WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE MAYOR OF SUNNYSIDE, UH, MISS, UH, SANDRA MASSEY HINES, WHO HOSTED A MARCH ON CRIME EVENT OVER IN SUNNYSIDE LAST THURSDAY. AND THEN AS WELL AS THE SOUTHWEST MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, WHO HAD A WONDERFUL MARCH ON CRIME EVENT, UM, ON THURSDAY AS WELL. AND WAS FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO HIT BOTH OF THOSE. AND, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, SORRY I DIDN'T MAKE YOUR VIETNAM, UH, VETERAN, UH, EVENT ON MONDAY. CERTAINLY WE SENT STAFF, BUT ON FRIDAY I PARTICIPATED OVER, UM, WITH COUNCIL, WITH THE COMMISSIONER GARCIA AT THE VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK, AND WHERE HE ANNOUNCED THEY WERE ABOUT TO PUT 30 TO 35 MILLION INTO THAT PARK WITH UPGRADES. AND HAD, UM, ANDREA WYNN, WHO IS A, A LOCAL, UH, NEWS ANCHOR, UH, OVER THE YEARS, GAVE A TESTIMONY OF HOW SHE CAME TO THE UNITED STATES AS A REFUGEE ON A BOAT AND, AND JUST A BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL CEREMONY. AND IT'S WONDERFUL TO HEAR FROM THOSE. AND SPEAKING OF IMMIGRATION, YOU KNOW, MAYOR, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT LAST NIGHT AS WE SAT HERE AND WE LISTENED TO SOME OF THESE ORGANIZED GROUPS, UM, THERE WERE CHILDREN IN THE AUDIENCE. AND WHEN YOU START OUT, LET ME BACK UP AS A, AS A MOTHER OF TWO SONS WHO AT ABOUT AGE EIGHT, OR THAT YOUNG MAN WHO SPOKE LAST NIGHT, THEY'RE VERY IMPRESSIONABLE. AND WHEN YOU START OUT WITH SOMEONE SPEAKING IN SUCH VILE AND VULGAR MANNER, A MAN OF SUCH A VILE AND VULGAR MANNER AS ONE OF THE LEAD SPEAKERS, THAT'S APPALLING. AND CHILDREN ARE SPONGES. AND SO I CAUTION ANY OF US WHO ARE IN INVITING PEOPLE TO SPEAK, TO BE SURE TO GIVE THEM THE KIND OF, THE, THE, I GUESS THE DEFINITION OF COMMON DECENCY. AND WHEN IT COMES TO CHILDREN AND, AND, AND OTHERS IN THE ROOM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE VULGAR REFERENCES, THE CURSING AND CARRYING ON. I MEAN, THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE. AND, UH, IT'S OFFENSIVE TO ME. IT SHOULD BE OFFENSIVE TO ANYONE IN THIS ROOM. BUT BY ALL MEANS, THEY'RE SO CONCERNED ABOUT THE CHILDREN, THE CHILDREN BE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE TEACHING YOUR CHILDREN BY ALLOWING THEM IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS REALLY SOMEWHAT OUT OF CONTROL AT TIMES. AND WITH RESPECT TO THIS BODY, I THINK IT IS INCUMBENT UPON US TO BE ABLE TO, TO BE SURE THAT WE REITERATE THAT TO THOSE WE INVITE TO SPEAK. AND AS ANYONE AROUND THIS HORSESHOE WHO HAS CHILDREN, I DON'T THINK ANYONE WOULD DISAGREE ON THAT. AND I, I DOUBT THERE'S ANYONE WHO WOULD WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO LISTEN TO SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE TALK THAT GOES ON. AND IT NOT, IT DOESN'T JUST GO ON WHEN THEY'RE SPEAKING AT THE MIC. YOU CAN HEAR THEM IN THE BACK. THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALL GOT STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE SITTING THERE AND, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, JUST THE, THE NASTINESS AROUND IS UNACCEPTABLE. THANK YOU, COUNCIL. MAYOR EVAN. THANK YOU MAYOR AND COLLEAGUES. I'M GOING TO PASS APRIL FOOLS. APRIL FOOLS . OKAY. OVER THE PAST WEEK, DISTRICT D CONTINUES TO SHOW UP IN POWERFUL WAYS THROUGH CULTURE, COMMUNITY, AND CONNECTION. BOY, YOUR WHOLE LIFE. OKAY. AS CHAIR OF THE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE, I INCLUDED HOUSTON'S NEW CIVIC ART MAP ON THE AGENDA AS OUR MOST RECENT, AT OUR MOST RECENT MEETING PRESENTED BY THE HOUSTON ARTS ALLIANCE AND OUR NEW DIRECTOR OF ARTS, MICHELLE LEAL. THIS INITIATIVE EXPANDS ACCESS TO OVER 800 PUBLIC ARTWORKS ACROSS [04:20:01] THE CITY THROUGH THE NEW WEBSITE. UM, THIS PAST SATURDAY, WE CELEBRATED THE FIFTH ANNUAL THIRD WARD ON TAP FESTIVAL AT WORKSHOP HOUSTON, BRINGING TOGETHER RESIDENTS, SMALL BUSINESSES AND CREATIVES, AND SHOWCASING THE VIBRANCY AND SPIRIT OF THIRD WARD. UPCOMING ON TUESDAY, APRIL THE SEVENTH, HCC CENTRAL CAMPUS COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP MEETING FROM 10:00 AM TO 11:00 AM AT THE HCC CENTRAL CAMPUS AT THE, UH, WW HARMON BUILDING, ROOM 100 ON THURSDAY, THERE WILL BE A RIBBON CUTTING ON THE EMANCIPATION AVENUE FROM 9:30 AM TO 10:30 AM INNER ME STUDIOS, 2206 EMANCIPATION AVENUE, HOUSTON, TEXAS. AT THIS TIME, I WANT TO ASK CC SCOTT TO STAND. I WANT HER TO BE HERE BECAUSE I WANNA, AGAIN, COMMEND HER. UM, SHE IS OUR NEWEST STAFF MEMBER, NEW OUTREACH DIRECTOR WHO HAS JOINED OUR OFFICE AND HIT THE GROUND RUNNING. SHE WASN'T HERE BEFORE WHEN I GAVE HER HER HER ACCOLADES. AND I WANT HER TO BE HERE BECAUSE SHE'S SUCH AN OUTSTANDING MEMBER OF OUR STAFF. HER PROFESSIONALISM AND PEOPLE SKILLS ARE HELPING MY OTHER FANTASTIC STAFF TO SERVE THE CONSTITUENTS OF DISTRICT D WITH CARE, CONSISTENCY AND COMPASSION. AND WE ARE BLESSED THAT SHE BRINGS HER FIVE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, WHICH WE COMMEMORATE WITH YOUR FIVE YEAR PEN. THANK YOU. CC NOW, NOW THE MAYOR. THE MAYOR SAID BACK TO WORK. GET BACK TO WORK. OKAY. UM, AND NOT THAT WE ARE TRYING TO WIN THE TRASH COLLECTION CONTEST, BUT JOB B ALLEN IN FRONTIER, WHO YOU TAP MAYOR TO OVERSEE THE PROGRAM, AND DISTRICT D HAS COLLECTED APPROXIMATELY 80 TONS OF TRASH, AND THEY'RE CONTINUING TO PICK UP THIS WEEK. AND WE JUST ARE SO THANKFUL FOR PARTNERS AND PEOPLE TO COME TO TRY TO HELP US GET IT CLEANED UP. 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT'S GONNA TAKE. AND FINALLY, I WANNA SHARE A COPY OF WHAT'S YOUR DESTINATION COMIC BOOK THAT FEATURES ME AND OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS IN DISTRICT D. THE COMIC BOOK WAS WRITTEN BY MELISSA DIAZ AND SASHA MARSHALL SMITH, WHO ARE FOUNDERS OF THE FAIR HOUSING DEFENDERS PROGRAM, UH, SASHA. WELL, THAT COMPANY PROVIDES IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL FAIR HOUSING EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS, AND THEY CAN, UH, BE REACHED AT FAIR HOUSING DEFENDERS@YAHOO.COM. THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING STORIES OF THE HISTORY OF THE TAP AND OTHER HISTORICAL STUDIES, UH, STORIES RATHER. AND YOU CAN PICK UP A COPY IN MY OFFICE. WE EVEN HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. UH, HIS LIKENESS IS ON THE FRONT, UH, OF THE MAGAZINE. OKAY? AND THEN ALL THROUGH THE MAGAZINE, THERE ARE DIFFERENT PEOPLE. WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, UH, JOAQUIN MARTINEZ, CASTEX TATUM MAYOR. OKAY. OKAY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ALL READY? ALL RIGHT. UH, DISTRICT D CONTINUES TO LEAD THROUGH CULTURAL COLLABORATION AND COMMUNITY. AND THIS CONCLUDES WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OR HAPPY EASTER. UH, AND REMEMBER THE RESURRECTION. THANK YOU. YEAH, THOMAS, DO IT WHEN WE GET THROUGH. GREAT. POINT OF ORDER. MR. MAYOR, I HAVE A MOTION TO RESCIND AND RECONSIDER. ITEM 13. 13, OKAY. THE MOTION IS MADE. RECONSIDERED, MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAS. SHUT UP. UH, COUNCILMAN THOMAS. AND, AND NOW THE ITEM, NOT THE ITEM. ALRIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAS. MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANT TO START BY GIVING A FEW SHOUT OUTS, UH, FIRST TO PUBLIC WORKS AND DIRECTOR MACKAY. UH, WE DID A RIDE ALONG ON TUESDAY, AND ONE OF THE SPOTS I TOOK 'EM TO WAS, UH, THE INTERSECTION OF CROCKETT AND SILVER. YOU KNOW, WE'VE HEARD FROM THE RESIDENTS OF FIRST WARD, THEY'VE BEEN TO PUBLIC SESSION. UH, THEY'VE RECEIVED NUMBERS OF LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR THIS REQUEST. UH, SPENDING 10 MINUTES AT THAT INTERSECTION, IT WAS VERY CLEAR THERE WAS A SAFETY ISSUE. UM, AND THEN WITHIN TWO DAYS, THE DIRECTOR HAD A, A NEW FOUR-WAY STOP OUT AT THAT INTERSECTION. UM, AND I APPRECIATE HIS, HIS WILLINGNESS TO FIND SOLUTIONS AND BE PROACTIVE WHEN, WHEN SEEN, UH, WHEN, WHEN HE SEES, UH, ISSUES LIKE THIS IN THE COMMUNITY. UM, AND SO THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS, IS ALREADY SEEING AN IMPROVEMENT AT THAT INTERSECTION. UM, ALSO, WE WRAPPED UP THE LAST IN-PERSON DISTRICT H TOWN HALL THIS PAST SATURDAY, AND I WANT TO THANK ALL THE DEPARTMENTS THAT WERE PRESENT AT. EACH OF THEM. UH, [04:25:01] THE RESIDENTS REALLY DO VALUE BEING ABLE TO WALK TO THEIR COMMUNITY CENTER, CHURCH PARK, ET CETERA, AND ACCESS THESE LOCAL, UH, CITY DEPARTMENTS FROM 3 1 1 TO SOLID WASTE TO BARK PARKS PLANNING, YOU NAME IT. SO, I WANT TO THANK THEM ALL FOR BEING PRESENT. UM, AT THE FIVE IN-PERSON DISTRICT H TOWN HALLS. THIS PAST SATURDAY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, NFAS, THERE WAS A FIFA MURAL UNVEILING IN DISTRICT H, UM, AT THE WAREHOUSE RIGHT BEHIND THE ORIGINAL ON NAVIGATION. UM, IT'S A, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL WORK OF ART. LOCAL ARTIST, UH, MEER WAS SELECTED TO, TO DO THE MURAL. THEY, UH, HOSTED A, A, A NICE BLOCK PARTY TO CELEBRATE IT. AND I, I DO WANT TO ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO GO AND CHECK IT OUT. THIS IS THE ONLY FIFA MURAL THAT WE'RE, WE'RE DOING HERE AS A CITY. AND IT WILL BE HERE LONG BEFORE ALL THE GAMES ARE PLAYED. SO WE'VE GOT, UM, SOMETHING THAT WILL HELP THE COMMUNITY THAT WILL LEAVE A LASTING LEGACY. UM, AND IT'S A, IT'S FANTASTIC. WELL DONE. I WANT TO CONGRATULATE, UH, MY STAFF, ELIA VALEZ, WHO JUST REACHED HER 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY WITH THE CITY, AND THANK HER FOR ALL THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION AND EVERYTHING THAT SHE BRINGS TO THE DISTRICT H OFFICE. AND ALSO WISH OUTGOING PRESIDENT OF UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON DOWNTOWN DR. BLANCHARD, WELL, AS HE MOVES ON TO A NEW ROLE. BUT, UH, UHD HAS BEEN A FANTASTIC PARTNER TO DISTRICT H. WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF DISTRICT H HORIZONS INTERNS, UH, COME FROM UHD AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THEM AND, AND WHOEVER, UH, ASSUMES THAT ROLE NEXT, BUT DO WANNA WISH, UH, PRESIDENT BLANCHARD WELL IN HIS FUTURE ENDEAVORS. AND FINALLY, ALSO, UH, SENDING ALL MY BEST TO THE ASTRONAUTS FOR THE NASA ARTEMIS TWO MISSION. UM, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'RE SENDING ASTRONAUTS BACK NEAR THE MOON IN, IN OVER 50 YEARS. UM, AND AS SPACE CITY, UH, IT'S APPROPRIATE THAT WE, YOU KNOW, UH, CHAMPION THIS AND SEE MANY MORE, UH, MISSIONS AND MORE SPACE EXPLORATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. UH, FIRST I WANTED TO START OFF BY THANKING EVERYBODY WHO MADE THE, UH, TEXAS CHILDREN'S, UH, HOUSTON OPEN AT MEMORIAL PARK. SUCH A SUCCESS. UM, HPR, OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT DOES AN ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE JOB THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, MAINTAINING MEMORIAL PARK AND OUR OTHER PARKS. AND THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A PUBLIC PARK, UH, THAT IS PGA RANKED AND ATTRACTS SO MANY PEOPLE, UM, IS VERY, VERY SPECIAL. UM, BUT IT'S ALSO WHAT HOUSTON IS ABOUT. AND I WANNA THANK THE ASTROS FOUNDATION FOR THEIR ONGOING PARTNERSHIP, THEIR INVESTMENT, UM, BUT ALSO, AGAIN, OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT AND OTHERS. AND OF COURSE, TEXAS CHILDREN'S IS THE HEADLINE SPONSOR. UM, BUT THIS EVENT RAISES MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, UM, FOR LOCAL CHARITIES. AND THERE'S NOT A SINGLE PERSON THAT COMPLAINS WHEN YOU'RE OUT ON THAT. UH, COURSE, UH, PEOPLE ARE BLOWN AWAY BY HOW GREAT THE COURSE LOOKS, HOW GREAT THE EVENT IS, AND IT JUST GETS BETTER AND BETTER EVERY SINGLE YEAR. BUT THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES ON BEHIND THE SCENES. PARKS DEPARTMENT STAFF IS UP EVERY DAY AT 4:00 AM AND LEAVING IT ABOUT EIGHT, NINE OR SO, UM, EVERY SINGLE DAY DURING THE TOURNAMENT AND LEADING UP TO THE TOURNAMENT. AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE THE CHEVRON, UM, L-G-P-L-P-G-A, UH, COMING UP IN A FEW WEEKS AS WELL. SO, BIG, BIG THANK YOU, BUT WHAT A SUCCESS, UH, THAT WAS. I ALSO WANNA THANK, UH, PUBLIC WORKS AND RESIDENCE, UH, FOR THE PARTNERSHIP. SOUTH RICE, OUR DRAINAGE, UH, AND, UH, REHABILITATION OF SOUTH RICE BETWEEN BRAESWOOD AND BEACH NUT IS UNDERWAY. AND, UH, RESIDENTS ARE VERY EXCITED. IT'S SLATED. THE DRAINAGE IS SLATED TO COMPLETE IN ABOUT TWO TO THREE WEEKS, AND THEN THE REHABILITATION WILL FOLLOW. UH, SO MORE ON THAT. AND WE HAVE WORK GOING ON THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, SO WE APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP WITH PUBLIC WORKS. UH, I'LL, I'LL CLOSE WITH THE FACT THAT TODAY, UH, IS VERY SPECIAL. WE'RE SEEING THE CONVERGENCE OF TWO EVENTS THAT I BELIEVE REFLECT OUR SHARED HUMANITY. UH, THE FIRST, OF COURSE IS THE LAUNCH OF, UH, ARTEMIS. UH, WE ARE RETURNING TO THE MOON AFTER OVER 50 YEARS. AND I THINK ABOUT, UH, ONE, THE ROLE THAT HOUSTON PLAYS WITH NASA AND RECOGNIZING ALL OF OUR NASA EMPLOYEES, BUT ALSO THE FACT THAT WE CAN SIT AROUND A TELEVISION WITH OUR CHILDREN, JUST AS OUR PARENTS DID, MESMERIZED BY THE FACT THAT WE ARE GOING BACK TO SPACE, HOPEFULLY BACK TO THE, THE MOON AND BEYOND. AND IT IS SUCH [04:30:01] A HOUSTON, UH, THING TO BE SO EXCITED. SO WE WISH OUR ASTRONAUTS A SAFE JOURNEY, UH, AND A SAFE RETURN. AND THE SECOND EVENT, OF COURSE, THIS EVENING THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, UH, THE JEWISH COMMUNITY WILL BE CELEBRATING PASSOVER. AND THIS IS THE OLDEST CONTINUOUSLY PRACTICE RELIGIOUS FESTIVAL IN THE WORLD. IT'S OVER 3000 YEARS OLD. AND, UH, I, WE LIKE TO JOKE, WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING TYRANTS SINCE PHARAOH, UH, BUT WITH EVERY GENERATION WE RENEW THE CALL FOR FREEDOM FOR ALL. SO I WISH, UH, EVERYONE THAT IS CELEBRATING TONIGHT A HA. UM, ALSO TO COUNCIL MEMBER PECK. I KNOW SHE'LL BE WITH HER FAMILY AS WELL. AND, UH, FOR OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WILL BE CELEBRATING EASTER THIS WEEKEND, WE ALSO WISH A VERY HAPPY EASTER COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN HUFFMAN. THANK YOU. AND MAYOR, I WANT TO ELEVATE A SERIOUS CONCERN, UM, FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE BRIAR GROVE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS. WE NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE ADDRESSING WHAT'S BECOME A SERIOUS QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE. THERE'S A CLUB, AND I KNOW WE'VE MENTIONED BEFORE, NAMED CAMP LOCATED AT 60 25 WESTHEIMER. UM, RIGHT ACROSS THE ROAD FROM CAMP IS THE BRIAR GROVE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND IT'S NOT JUST THE PARTIES ON THE WEEKENDS, IT'S THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. THEIR DJ BOOTH SITS ON AN UN ENCLOSED OUTDOOR PATIO, WHICH ALLOWS THE MUSIC TO CARRY DEEP INTO THE BROER GROVE NEIGHBORHOOD AND CAN BE HURT AS FAR AWAY AS WOODWAY, EVEN AFTER THE CLUB CLOSES AT 2:00 AM THE PARTY OFTEN SPILLS OUT ONTO THE STREET AND MUSIC BLARES UNTIL FOUR OR FIVE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING. UM, THERE ARE CERTAINLY OTHER CLUBS IN THE AREA THAT CAUSE PROBLEMS, BUT CAMP IS THE ONE THAT SEEMS TO BE IMPACTING THE DISTRICT G RESIDENTS THE MOST. YOUR OFFICE, ALONG WITH HPD WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING THE WASHINGTON, UM, CORRIDOR SOUND ISSUE WITH DISTRICT D OVER SPRING BREAK. AND SO I'M ASKING THAT SOME SENSE OF URGENCY BE PUT, UM, TO CAMP. AND, YOU KNOW, ON WESTHEIMER, I KNOW THAT SOME OF THE RESIDENTS FROM RERO GROVE ARE PLANNING TO COME TO PUBLIC SESSION LATER THIS MONTH AND TALK ABOUT IT, BUT IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD JUST KIND OF NIP IT IN THE BUD AND, AND GET THIS TAKEN CARE OF. SO I'D APPRECIATE ANY HELP I CAN GET. THANK YOU, COUNCILLOR RAMIREZ. THANK YOU. UH, MAYOR, LET ME BE GIVEN BEGIN BY, UM, DISCUSSING A CHANGE THAT WAS MADE BY THE MIDTOWN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OR THE MIDTOWN TOURISM UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF NEW BOARD CHAIR ALAN DOUGLAS, WHO IS YOUR APPOINTEE MAYOR. THEY HAVE CUT TIES WITH A NONPROFIT, THE CENTER FOR CIVIC AND PUBLIC POLICY IMPROVEMENT THAT THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH SINCE 2016, AND PAID HIM MORE THAN $10 MILLION TO DRAFT AND IMPLEMENT A HOUSING PLAN THAT PRODUCED, UH, VERY LITTLE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UNFORTUNATELY. BUT THAT, UH, RELATIONSHIP IS OVER, AND I LEARNED ABOUT THIS THROUGH THE REPORTING OF HOUSTON CHRONICLE INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER MIKE MORRIS. SO GIVE CREDIT TO HIM. BUT THE BOARD VOTED LAST WEEK TO TERMINATE THAT CONTRACT, AND THAT WAS A, A NEW BOARD, UH, MAYOR, UH, WITH, UH, DONE THROUGH, THROUGH YOUR EFFORTS. THIS WILL, UH, UNDOUBTEDLY HELP THEIR EFFORTS TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO FOLKS IN, IN THAT AREA. UM, THEY ARE SITTING ON, AND THIS HAS BEEN NOTED BEFORE, HUNDREDS OF, OF LOTS, AND HAVE BEEN FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, THAT COULD BE USED TO PRODUCE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SO THE NEW PARTNERSHIP WILL BE WITH, WITH THE MIDTOWN, UH, TOURS BOARD AND OUR OWN HOUSING, UH, DEPARTMENT THAT WILL PRODUCE, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, IN, IN, IN THE, UH, NEXT FEW YEARS TO COME. SO THAT, THAT'S A GREAT CHANGE. HAPPY TO SEE THAT, AND THINGS ARE LOOKING UP FOR THE MIDTOWN TOURS. UM, I WANNA ALSO, UH, MAKE A COUPLE OF OBSERVATIONS ON THE PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION WE HAD LAST NIGHT. I THINK THE NUMBER WAS CLOSE TO 150 SPEAKERS WE HAD, OR AT LEAST ON THE LIST, ALMOST ALL OF WHICH, UH, DEALT WITH THE, THE ISSUE THAT, UH, HAS BEEN RAISED IN THE PROP. A FILED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS AND COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN AND POLLARD AS WELL, DEALING WITH HPD ICE, UH, COOPERATION OR COMMUNICATION. IT WAS APPARENT TO ME FROM LISTENING TO ALL THE REMARKS, AND I LISTENED VERY CLOSELY THAT A NUMBER OF THE SPEAKERS HAD NOT ACTUALLY READ THE PROPOSAL. AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SOMETHING AS EMOTIONALLY CHARGED AT THIS AS THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, UH, FOLKS NEED TO READ THE PROPOSAL TO SEE WHAT IT ACTUALLY SAYS. I HOPE IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO SHOULD IT GET TAGGED. UM, WE'LL BE ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS [04:35:01] AND GET ANSWERS FROM OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT REGARDING SOME ASPECTS OF IT. QUESTIONS SUCH AS, UH, WHAT'S HPDS POSITION ON IT? DO THEY HAVE A POSITION? DOES HPD FEEL THAT THEY'RE CURRENTLY FOLLOWING THE FOURTH AMENDMENT? IF THE PROPOSAL PASSES, WILL IT CHANGE THE WAY HPD HANDLES THESE SITUATIONS? WILL THE PROPOSAL PROHIBIT COMMUNICATION WITH ICE? WILL IT MAKE HOUSTON A SO-CALLED SANCTUARY CITY? WHAT IS A SANCTUARY CITY? WILL THIS PROPOSAL IF ADOPTED, REQUIRE HPD TO RELEASE INDIVIDUALS WHO'VE COMMITTED A CRIME? UH, THESE AND OTHER QUESTIONS ARE IMPORTANT ONES THAT NEED TO BE CONSIDERED AS WE TAKE UP DISCUSSION OF THIS MATTER. BUT AGAIN, UH, I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE HOUSTONIANS ON THIS HIGHLY CHARGED ISSUE TO REFER TO THE LANGUAGE AND SEE WHAT, WHAT IT ACTUALLY SAYS. I ALSO WANT TO, UM, UM, SEND BEST WISHES AND, AND PRAYERS TO THE ASTRONAUTS WHO WILL, UH, LAUNCH ON ARTEMIS THIS EVENING AND WISH THEM, UH, A SAFE JOURNEY AND RETURN. UH, ALL OF US UNDOUBTEDLY KNOW THAT SPACE TRAVEL IS DANGEROUS, AND, UH, IT'S QUITE A COURAGEOUS THING THAT, THAT THEY'RE DOING. AND, AND I WISH THEM THE BEST ALSO TO, TO, UH, MY JEWISH FRIENDS. UH, HOPE YOU HAVE AN ENJOYABLE, UH, AND, AND PEACEFUL PASSOVER AND TO CHRISTIANS AS WELL. HAPPY EASTER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. THANK YOU MAYOR AND COLLEAGUES. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. THANKS FOR BRINGING THE POINT UP ABOUT MIDTOWN. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR, UH, RESIDENTS AND THOSE WHO, UM, ARE, HAVE BEEN INTERESTED, HAVE DONE WORK WITH MIDTOWN RELATED TO THOSE LOTS. THAT, UH, PUBLIC COMMUNICATION IS AT THE FOREFRONT THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS AGREED, UM, EVERY QUARTER TO PRESENT AN UPDATE ON THEIR EFFORTS AROUND THE LOTS. UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, THEY'RE GOING TO, UH, LAUNCH A NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING PLAN. THE INITIAL PLAN WAS, UH, UH, GENERATED IN 2017. SO WE'RE APPROACHING A DECADE, UM, WHICH WILL COMPLEMENT THE CITY AND THE COUNTY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. UM, AND SO FOR RESIDENTS THAT MAY, UH, HAVE READ THE REPORT IN THE NEWS FELT LEFT OUT, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT, UH, CONFIDENCE IN THIS PROCESS IS AT THE CENTER COUNCIL MEMBER, EVAN SHABAZZ, UM, HAS ALREADY EXTENDED HER OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, RESIDENTS AND STAKEHOLDERS, UM, HAVE ACCURATE COMMUNICATION. AND THE DEPARTMENT WILL BE COMING BACK TO US ONCE THEY EVALUATE THE LOTS. THEY'LL CREATE A PUBLIC FACING DASHBOARD, SO THERE'S NO MORE CHERRY PICKING FROM DEVELOPERS ON WHICH LOTS THEY WANT. UM, AND SO WE CAN REIMAGINE WHAT AFFORDABILITY, AFFORDABILITY LOOKS LIKE, UM, IN THAT PART OF HOUSTON. SO THANKS FOR BRINGING THAT UP. I THINK THIS IS A HUGE STEP IN, IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. UM, MONDAY, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO JOINED THE SPECIAL CALL MEETING FOR THE APARTMENT INSPECTION ORDINANCE, HIGH FIVE TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED AND COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO, UM, UH, SENT THEIR STAFF MEMBERS TO REPRESENT THEIR OFFICE. IT WAS A GREAT MEETING, ROBUST COMMUNICATION, UM, FROM THE CITY DEPARTMENTS, REPRESENTATIVES, STAKEHOLDERS, UH, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON. AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE PUT ENGAGEMENT ON THE FRONT END. THANKS TO THE HUNDREDS OF INDIVIDUALS WHO PARTICIPATED IN PERSON AND ONLINE AT THE TWO COMMUNITY MEETINGS, UM, WE ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT, UH, RIGHT DIRECTION. AND THANKS TO MAYOR PROM'S OFFICE FOR GETTING THIS CLERKED. AND THANK YOU TO MY EXCEPTIONAL TEAM IN DISTRICT F, UM, FOR HEAVY LIFTING. THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS. THOSE ARE NOT EASY THINGS TO DO, BUT THEY ARE WORTH IT. UM, IF YOU HAVE MISSED THE MEETING, YOU CAN FOLLOW AND WATCH THE RECAP ON THE CITY'S PAGE OR MY YOUTUBE PAGE AND CATCH UP. AND ALTHOUGH FORMAL, UH, FEEDBACK HAS CLOSED, WE ARE STILL RE FORMAL. PUBLIC MEETINGS HAVE CLOSED. WE'RE STILL RECEIVING FEEDBACK AS WE MOVE FORWARD. BUT HAPPY, UH, WITH THE RESPONSE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION, THE DEPARTMENTS, THE CONTRIBUTION FROM EVERY COUNCIL OFFICE. LAST NIGHT, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, UH, TURNED THE, UH, BEST OF HU HOUSTON OUT AT THE A LEAF NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER FOR THE SPRING 2026 COMMUNITY MEETING, UM, TO ALLOCATE, UM, DOLLARS FOR OUR HUD ANNUAL ACTION PLAN. UH, HOUSTON IS AN ENTITLEMENT CITY. WE RECEIVED $50 MILLION FROM HUD TO ADDRESS AFFORDABLE HOUSING, HOMELESSNESS, CHILDCARE, YOUTH AGING OUTTA FOSTER CARE, YOU NAME IT, PUBLIC FACILITIES. UH, AND WE BLEW THE SOCKS OFF. IT WAS A PACKED HOUSE, UH, AND IT REPRESENTED THE VERY BEST OF HOUSTON. YOU STILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTRIBUTE ON APRIL 7TH FROM THREE TO FIVE. THERE'S A VIRTUAL MEETING, AND YOUR PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE DUE TO THE DEPARTMENT ON APRIL 8TH. AND JUST ONE OF THE TAKEAWAYS FROM ME IS THAT WE HAD SOMEONE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WHO ATTENDED THE MEETING AND TALKED ABOUT THE BARRIERS, THE SECOND CHANCE BARRIERS OF, YOU KNOW, LEAVING THE CRIMINAL SYSTEM AND NOT HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR HOUSING. AND THE, AND THE, THE, THE REPRESENTATIVE OF NICK FROM THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT IMMEDIATELY GOT WITH HIM SO THEY CAN GET HIM INTO THE, UH, UM, THE COORDINATED CARE SYSTEM. SO JUST APPRECIATE THE EFFORT. UM, PEOPLE STAYED THERE TILL NINE O'CLOCK. IT WAS [04:40:01] A, A GREAT MEETING. UM, ON SATURDAY, WE ARE DOING A NEW THING ON THE WEST SIDE, UH, APRIL 2ND, APRIL 4TH ON SATURDAY. THAT'S EASTER WEEKEND FROM 9:00 AM TO 1:00 PM MY OFFICE AND THE HOMELESS STRIKE TEAM, WE'RE HOSTING OUR INAUGURAL MOBILE CARE DAY, UH, WHICH INCLUDES SHOWERS, HAIRCUTS, IMMUNIZATIONS, HEALTHCARE IDS, FOOD AND CASE MANAGEMENT. FOR SOME OF OUR HOUSTONIANS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, AS OF TODAY, WE HAVE 70 UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE CONFIRMED TRANSPORTATION. WE ARE PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION WITH AGAPE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP, UM, AT THE LOCATION. EXCITED ABOUT THE MIRACLES THAT ARE GONNA TAKE PLACE ON SATURDAY. WE ARE MONITORING THE WEATHER, SO STAY TUNED, UM, BUT STAY IN PRAYER WITH US THAT GOD HOLDS UP THE CLOUDS AND HOLDS UP THE RAIN SO THAT WE MAY SERVE THE 70, UH, PLUS MORE. SO WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. UM, ALSO JUST A HEADS UP TO THOSE WHO LIVE ON THE DAIRY ASHFORD ASHFORD POINT AREA. WE HAVE A SIDEWALK AND CROSSWALK INSTALLATION AT ASHER POINT AT SENATE. THIS IS SCHEDULED, UH, UH, IT WAS SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY, APRIL 10TH TO BEGIN, AND THEY WILL CONCLUDE JUNE 30TH. THIS PROJECT COST $145,000 OF COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS. WE'RE CONTINUE TO MOVE MOBILITY ON THE WEST SIDE, SO STAY TUNED AND PAY ATTENTION TO THE DETOURS. LASTLY, I JUST WANNA BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO THE LONG AWAITED, UH, PINEY POINT ELECTRICAL MINI ELECTRICAL BOX MINI MURAL. WE HAVE WORKED ON THIS FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS TO AMPLIFY THE CULTURE AND HERITAGE OF PINEY POINT, UH, A REMNANT OF A FREEDMAN'S TOWN ON WEST SIDE. AND SO THE ELECTRICAL BOX HIGHLIGHTING, UM, THEIR SIGNIFICANCE IS ACTUALLY SHOULD BE COMPLETED THIS WEEK. SO I JUST WANNA REMIND RESIDENTS AND THOSE WHO HAVE AN AFFINITY FOR THAT NEIGHBORHOOD TO SWING BY RICHMOND AND JEANETTA. THIS MARKS NUMBER FOUR OF FIVE, UH, MANY, UH, FIVE MURALS. MY OFFICE HAS FUNDED THROUGH COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS, AND WE LOOK FORWARD, UM, TO CONCLUDING WITH OUR LAST PUBLIC, UH, MURAL ART PIECE, UH, ENTANGLE WILD, UH, DECEMBER 13TH, 2023. UM, YOU MAY ALL REMEMBER THE MARATHON RUNNER WHO WAS, UM, WHO DIED THROUGH A HIT AND RUN OFF OF WEST PARK AND FONDANT. SHE WAS TRAINING FOR THE CHEVRON. SHE, HER AND HER FAMILY ARE RESIDENTS OF TANGO WILD, UM, AND SO THAT ELECTRICAL BOX WOULD BE IN HER MEMORY TO PROMOTE MOBILITY. SUBSEQUENTLY, AFTER HER DEATH, THERE WERE THREE ADDITIONAL HIT AND RUNS AT THAT SAME LOCATION. SO WE ARE DOING THE WORK ON THE WEST SIDE. WE GOT MOTION. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF MY OFFICE CAN BE OF SUPPORT, REACH OUT AT DISTRICT F@HOUSTONTX.GOV. THANK YOU. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.