[5:00 P.M. - INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
[00:00:06]
CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ FOR THE INVOCATION.UH, IT IS MY HONOR AND MY PLEASURE TO ASK PASTOR KEITH EDWARDS TO COME UP.
I'M GONNA TELL YOU, UH, PASTOR KEITH IS THE PASTOR OF PILGRIM CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, UH, LOCATED ON BLUDGE STREET, COINCIDENTALLY, AND CERTAINLY
BUT I'M GONNA TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, JUST MY PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE OF HIM, UH, HE IS A PERSON THAT EXUDES, UH, WHAT CHRIST ASKS US TO DO.
AND THAT'S TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE, UM, THE PEOPLE THERE LOVE HIM.
AND ACTUALLY, MY SISTER ATTENDS THE CHURCH.
I'M KIND OF AN HONORARY MEMBER MYSELF.
AND SO I WOULD LOVE FOR PASTOR KEITH TO SHARE A PRAYER.
AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU, IF YOU GO AND HEAR A WORD FROM PASTOR KEITH, AND, AND YOU'RE SITTING THERE AND YOU'RE SAYING, WOW, THIS GUY IS REALLY HONORED, I THINK, YOU KNOW, HE HAS REALLY GOTTEN A WORD FROM GOD.
AND THEN HE'LL TELL YOU, AND THIS IS THE MESSAGE.
AND I LOVE THAT BECAUSE HE DOESN'T JUST GO ON AND ON.
HE GIVES US WHAT GOD GIVES HIM.
AND I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE HIM AS A PERSON AND AS A PASTOR.
SO PASTOR KEITH, GOD BLESS YOU, GOD BLESS YOU.
AND THIS LOVELY WIFE IS OVER THERE TOO.
I MUST RECOGNIZE THE FIRST NA, THE FIRST LADY WHO'S HERE.
'CAUSE I LIKE LIVING WHERE I LIVE.
MR. MAYOR, DISTINGUISH COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CLERGY.
WE STEP BEFORE YOU ONCE AGAIN, AND WE'RE JUST SO GRATEFUL FOR ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY.
AND WE THANK YOU FOR TRAVELING MERCIES HERE.
WE THANK YOU THAT YOU CONTINUE TO WATCH OVER US.
LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE PRODUCTIVITY OF THE CITY.
WE THANK YOU, LORD, THAT IN THE MIDST OF ALL OF THAT, CONTINUE TO POUR OUT YOUR BLESSINGS ON US SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO BE PRODUCTIVE, TO DO WHAT THE CITY NEEDS FOR US TO DO, AND THAT YOU SEE FIT FOR US TO DO, AND NOT THAT WE SEE FIT.
BE WITH US IN THIS MEETING AND ALLOW YOUR SPIRIT TO MOVE US.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO, TO THE FLAG, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[ROLL CALL AND ADOPT MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING]
SECRETARY, YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE MAYOR, WE MEYER PRESENT.COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER PRESENT.
COUNCIL COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ FOR PROCEDURAL MOTION.
I MOVE TO SUSPEND RULES TO MOVE UP, UM, IN THIS ORDER.
BRITTANY RAMIREZ, JOE RAMIREZ, AND RICK NORIEGA TO THE TOP OF THE ONE MINUTE NON AGENDA.
UH, BUT KEEP 'EM AT THREE MINUTES.
[PUBLIC SPEAKERS]
COUNCIL MEMBER EVANS, YOUR BOSS.I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD MAYA TYLER, ARVA HOWARD.
AM I GOING TOO FAST? A LITTLE BIT.
SISTER, MAMA, SONYA, AND AL LLOYD TO THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE LIST.
I'D LIKE TO MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO TAKE THE FOLLOWING SPEAKERS OUT OF ORDER FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE THREE MINUTE AGENDA LIST TO THE TWO MINUTE LIST.
AND THEIR NAMES ARE GUADALUPE FERNANDEZ, KRISTEN SCHLEMMER, DANIELLE NEWTON, UZMAN, MAHMOOD, LENKA GARENA AND STEPHANIE VALEZ.
ANYONE ELSE? SECRETARY? MR. SECRETARY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL OUR FIRST SPEAKER, KEN ROGERS, WHERE MY DAMN PHONE
[00:05:05]
TO BE, FOLLOWED BY MELINDA OWENS OF SPRING.HELLO, MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ COUNCIL CHAMBER.
UH, I'M HERE TODAY ACTUALLY, I SIGNED UP TWICE TO TALK.
I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, UH, TRINITY EAST AND THEIR BUILDING OVER THERE.
I WANTED TO PUT THAT ON YOUR MIND.
UM, AND JUST LET ME SAY THAT THIS IS CONNECTED TO THE PEOPLE THAT WE ALL LOVE IN CUNY HOMES AND WHEN THAT'S GONNA START, WHEN THE DEMOLITION IS GONNA START.
SO I'M JUST WANT TO PUT THAT ON YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MIND.
SO ANYTHING THAT YOU GUYS CAN DO, ANYTHING THAT COMES UP THAT CAN HELP MOVE THIS ALONG SO WE CAN HAVE A PLACE TO KEEP OUR PEOPLE IN THIRD WARD WHERE THEY BELONG.
SECOND THING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS, UH, THE BACK LANE'S ON BLOT.
MY WIFE SAYS I'M ALWAYS LEAVING HOME, BUT I'M GOING DOWN BLOT AND ON TRASH DAYS.
TUESDAYS, UH, TRASH CANS ARE IN THE BIKE LANE ON THE DRIZZLE.
MIND YOU, I'M SAYING A DRIZZLE.
UH, THERE ARE PUDDLES IN THE BIKE LANE.
UM, I JUST WALKED DOWNTOWN AND I SAW TWO-WAY BIKE LANES ON THE SIDEWALK.
AND I WENT, THAT'S A SIGN THIS WORKS.
AND IT'S SAFER FOR CYCLISTS, WALKERS.
I THINK IT'S A BRILLIANT IDEA THAT WHAT YOU GUYS DID DOWNTOWN AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE DONE IN THIRD WARD.
AND I'M ASKING YOU WHEN THIS COMES UP, PLEASE PUT THIS ON YOUR EXPIRED.
YOU, YOU, YOU'VE BROUGHT TWO VERY IMPORTANT ISSUES.
UH, THE TRINITY EAST SENIOR PROJECT IS SO VERY NEEDED BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO BE RE RELOCATED FROM CUNY HOMES CAN STAY IN THE AREA THAT THEY ARE FAMILIAR WITH.
AND SO THAT PROJECT IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
SO, UM, CERTAINLY IS SOMETHING THAT I SUPPORT.
AND THEN LET'S GO TO THE BIKE LANES.
THE BIKE LANES, AS WE KNOW, UH, HAVE BEEN A, A BIG PROBLEM.
NOBODY IN THE AREA, WELL, I WON'T SAY NOBODY 'CAUSE IT MAY BE SOMEBODY, BUT NOT VERY MANY PEOPLE.
UH, THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE ON BLOT, THEY HAVE NOWHERE FOR THEIR, THEIR GUESTS TO PARK.
AND SO CONSEQUENTLY, THE GUESTS END UP PARKING IN THE BIKE LANES AND THEN THEY GET TICKETS, UH, ON TRASH DAY.
THE TRASH CANS ARE EVERYWHERE.
AND SO CERTAINLY I ALWAYS HAVE A CONCERN FOR THE STUDENTS AT TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY, WELL, NOT AN OPPORTUNITY, AN EMERGENCY, ESPECIALLY DURING AN EVENT, IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFICULT, UH, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THEM GET OUT SAFELY.
IT, IT'S A, IT'S A LOT OF THINGS.
BUT EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, AND, AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S A GROUP HERE AND THEY HAVE COME HERE TO SPEAK REGARDING THE REMOVAL OF THOSE BIKE LANES.
AND THEN THERE WE ARE GONNA TALK ABOUT WHO WE THINK SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REMOVAL OF THOSE BIKE LANES.
BUT I WON'T STEAL THEIR THUNDER, BUT I CERTAINLY WILL SPEAK, UH, TO SUPPORT EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE SAYING REGARDING, WE NEVER WANTED THEM, THERE WAS NO REAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR THEM.
AND IT'S JUST LIKE THEY SHOWED UP AND THE BIKE LANES DO FLOOD.
SO, AND IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A DRAINAGE PROJECT.
AND SO THAT, THAT'S A CONCERN AS WELL.
UH, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE OTHER SPEAKERS.
COUNCILMAN RAMEZ? SIR? KEN, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ.
SO YOU, YOU BROUGHT UP TWO THINGS.
ONE IS CUNY HOMES, UH, AND HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITIES REBRANDED.
HAVE YOU SPOKEN TO THEM ABOUT WHEN THAT PROJECT MIGHT START? UH, MATTER OF FACT, I WAS IN A MEETING LAST NIGHT AND THEY SAID THAT DEMOLITION SHOULD START
[00:10:01]
IN AUGUST.COULD BE, UH, SOMETIME BETWEEN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER.
AND SO WE HAVE A LOT OF, UM, PROJECTED HOUSING TO GO UP, BUT LIKE TRINITY EAST, IT HADN'T EVEN STARTED YET.
AND SO WE WE'RE REALLY CONCERNED IF THIS DEMOLITION IS GONNA START, WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE A PLACE TO PUT OUR PEOPLE.
AND SO THAT'S REALLY THE CONCERN.
IF WE COULD JUST COORDINATE THAT WHEN WE GET THE BUILDINGS UP, THEN WE CAN START THE DEMOLITION.
THEN WE HAVE A PLACE TO PUT THE PEOPLE.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR, UH, RAISING THAT CONCERN.
UH, IT'S NOT WITHIN OUR CONTROL, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY REACH OUT TO THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND, AND SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO.
THE SECOND THING YOU BROUGHT UP WAS THE BIKE LANES.
AND YOU MENTIONED THAT, UH, THE WAY IT'S DONE IN PART OF DOWNTOWN YOU THINK WORKS WELL.
AND THAT'S TWO LANES, DID YOU SAY ON THE SIDEWALK? OR WHERE DID SEE GOES ON THE SIDEWALK, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
DO, DO YOU AGREE THAT IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD ALONG BLOT AND THIRD WARD, THERE IS A NEED FOR BIKE LANES OR NOT? I, FOR THE TSU STUDENTS, MAINLY I SEE 'EM ON THEIR SCOOTERS.
SO, SO THE STUDENTS USE 'EM, THEY USE, BUT THEY CAN ONLY USE A PORTION OF IT, AND THAT'S WHERE THE APARTMENTS ARE.
AND TO GO, I FORGET WHICH STREET THAT IS, BUT THEY, IT'S CROSSING THE STREET AND JUST A LITTLE WAYS THAT THEY CAN USE IT.
ONCE THEY GET PAST THAT POINT, THEN IT GETS REALLY HAIRY.
I'VE, I'VE HEARD THAT THERE'S A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF RESIDENTS IN THIRD WARD WHO DO NOT HAVE A CAR.
HAVE, HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT THERE? YES.
I, I'M A MEMBER OF, UH, UH, FRIENDS OF COLUMBIA TAP, WHICH THERE'S TONS OF CYCLISTS AND SCOOTERS AND, AND TALKING TO THEM ON FRIDAY MORNINGS AT, UH, EL DORADO, UM, AND LISTENING TO THEM TALK.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK HAD THEY ENGAGED THE COMMUNITY, WE COULD HAVE COME UP WITH THIS PLAN THAT YOU GUYS HAVE HERE AT CITY HALL, WHICH WOULD'VE MADE EVERYBODY HAPPY.
IT WOULD'VE BEEN A PLACE, A PLACE TO PUT YOUR GARBAGE CAN.
UH, THEY KIND OF DECEIVED US AND TOLD US THIS WAS GONNA BE A DRAINAGE ISSUE THAT THEY WERE HAD HAVING AND MM-HMM
AND, BUT THAT'S NOT SHOWING UP BECAUSE THERE'S PUDDLES THROUGHOUT, AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT OUR, OUR HOUSTON RAIN.
I'M TALKING ABOUT A DRIZZLE, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HAVE A PUDDLE IN THE LANE.
WHICH THE CYCLISTS WON'T DRIVE THROUGH, THEN THEY COME OUT INTO THE STREET TO GO AROUND THE PUDDLE, WHICH IS DANGEROUS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT, KEN.
AND, AND JUST IN, IN, UM, REFERENCE TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T HAVE CARS.
THEY ARE NOT RIDING BIKES, THEY ARE ACCESSING PUBLIC TRANSIT.
AND CERTAINLY WE DO HAVE THAT CONNECTOR THAT GOES THROUGH THE THIRD WARD PARTICULARLY.
BUT I PROMISE YOU, IF YOU WERE TO SIT THERE, UM, JUST FOR A DAY, YOU WOULD SEE VERY FEW PEOPLE RIDING.
AND I NORMALLY SEE THEM RIDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET WHEN THEY DO RIDE.
BUT THE STATISTICS REGARDING THE LACK OF, OF CARS IS CORRECT, BUT THEY HAVE NOT REPLACED THEM WITH BIKES.
NEXT MELINDA OWENS OF SPRING TO BE FOLLOWED BY MARILYN WHITE.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR WHITMEYER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I AM REVEREND MELINDA OWENS, SENIOR PASTOR OF TRINITY EAST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH.
AND WE STRONGLY SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TRINITY EAST VILLAGE SENIOR APARTMENT COMPLEX.
ACCESS TO SAFE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A FUNDAMENTAL NEED.
AND AS COSTS CONTINUE TO RISE, THERE ARE MANY INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES, ESPECIALLY SENIORS ON FIXED INCOMES WHO ARE FINDING IT INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO REMAIN IN THE COMMUNITY OF THIRD WARD THAT THEY HAVE LOANED CALLED HOME.
SO BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS MORE THAN A MATTER OF CONVENIENCE, IT'S A MATTER OF DIGNITY,
[00:15:01]
STABILITY, AND FAIRNESS.AND WE, AT TRINITY EAST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO PROVIDING RESOURCES, BEING PRESENT AND JOURNEYING ALONGSIDE ALL OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE TRINITY EAST VILLAGE SENIOR APARTMENT COMPLEX.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
NEXT MARILYN WHITE TO BE FOLLOWED BY HERBA GREEN.
UH, CITY COUNCIL, I DO GREET YOU.
I'M REVEREND DR. MARILYN WHITE.
I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE TRINITY ECDC AND HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS TRINITY EAST PROJECT FOR YEARS.
UH, IT HAS BEEN A PROJECT IN THE MAKING AND WE ARE SO EXCITED WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
AND I WANT TO THANK OUR CITY COUNCIL PERSON FOR YOUR SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THESE YEARS TO GET US HERE.
WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE CUNY HOMES COMMUNITY.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I TOOK A GROUP OF THEM WITH ME TO AUSTIN WHEN WE HAD TO GO TESTIFY FOR THE 9% TAX CREDIT.
AND ALL I HEARD FROM THEM IS, PASTOR DON'T FAIL US.
WE'VE HAD SO MANY PROMISES AND NOTHING HAS COME FORTH, AND WE TRULY WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE BETTER LIVING CONDITIONS.
SO I DO SOLICIT YOUR BOARD SUPPORT FOR THE TRINITY SENIOR PROJECT.
COUNCIL MEMBER MA'AM, MA'AM? EVAN SHEBAZ.
PASTOR DOCTOR, UH, MARILYN WHITE.
THIS IS ANOTHER ONE, UH, ANOTHER PASTOR THAT HAS SUCH A HEART FOR THE PEOPLE.
UM, SHE HAS BEEN SO DILIGENT WITH TRYING TO GET THIS PROJECT, UM, OFF THE GROUND AND, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF TIMES SHE GAVE ME THE SIDE ACT.
UH, BUT I HAD TO LET HER KNOW THAT I AM BEHIND THIS PROJECT.
AND SO, I, I JUST WANNA REITERATE THAT I APPRECIATE YOUR DILIGENCE, UM, YOUR HEART FOR THE PEOPLE, BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO MAKE GOOD ON OUR PROMISES.
AND AND THIS IS ONE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO MAKE GOOD ON THE PROMISE YES.
OF KEEPING PEOPLE IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA OF THE CUNY HOMES.
NEXT, HERBERT GREEN TO BE FOLLOWED BY DOLORES ROGERS.
GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M HERBERT GREEN, PRESIDENT OF TRINITY'S VILLAGE, CDC CO-DEVELOPERS OF THE TRINITY SENIOR PROJECT.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR PREVIOUS SUPPORT FOR THIS PROJECT.
AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU HAVE DEEMED IT NECESSARY AND THOUGHT IT WAS WORTHWHILE AND THERE WOULD ALSO BE A VALUE ADDED TO THE COMMUNITY.
I WANNA GIVE MY PERSONAL THANKS TO OUR REPRESENTATIVE OF DISTRICT D CAROLYN EVANS CHABA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
I HAVE BEEN PURSUING THIS ENDEAVOR FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
WE RECOGNIZED EARLY ON THAT DUE TO THE DEPLORABLE HOUSING CIRCUMSTANCES IN THE THIRD WARD, PRINCIPALLY CAUSED BY REDLINING AND SO FORTH, AND LACK OF INVESTMENT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS THAT WE NEEDED TO DO SOMETHING.
AND RATHER THAN CURSE THE DARKNESS, WE FELT THAT WE SHOULD LIGHT A CANDLE AND TRY TO BE BRIGHTEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND IN DOING SO, WE PURSUED TO DO THIS PROJECT AS A SENIOR CITIZEN PROJECT, AND WE HOPEFULLY IN THE FUTURE, WILL DO A FAMILY PROJECT.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR PREVIOUS SUPPORT, AND THIS PROJECT WILL BE AND PROVIDE DECENT, SAFE, AND ST.
SANITARY HOUSING FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THIRD WARD.
TWO THIRDS OF THE UNITS OF THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT HAS BEEN DEDICATED FOR DISPLACEMENT HOUSING FOR THOSE IN THE CUNY HOME COMMUNITY.
SO IT'S NOT ONLY SERVING OUR NEEDS AND OUR PURPOSES, BUT IT'S ALSO SERVING THE NEEDS OF THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE CUNY HOME PROJECT, AS WELL AS PROVIDING RESOURCES, SOCIAL ACTIVITIES, AND SO FORTH FOR PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND AGAIN, I THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PREVIOUS SUPPORT AND IF YOU DEEMED IT NECESSARY THEN AND WORTHY, I HOPE THAT YOU WILL DO SO AGAIN.
AND ALL THANKS TO YOU AND ALL GLORY AND THANKS TO GOD.
NEXT DOLORES ROGERS TO BE FOLLOWED BY GUADALUPE GUADALUPE FERNANDEZ.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE EMANCIPATION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
[00:20:01]
REGARDING THE TRINITY EAST VILLAGE SENIOR PROJECT THAT IS SCHEDULED TO BE BUILT ON LIVE OAK.THIS PROJECT INCLUDES THE CUNY HOMES AND ITS RESIDENTS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS PROJECT WILL ALLOW THE CUNY HOMES MEMBERS TO REMAIN IN THEIR BELOVED COMMUNITY.
IT IT, IT IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY TO LIVE UP TO THE PROMISES OF PROVIDING LOW, REALLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO THE CITIZENS OF THIRD WARD.
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS TO LIVE IN DIGNITY AND SAFETY AND NOT BE DISPLACED.
AND SO YOU WILL BE CONSIDERING AN ITEM TO CONTINUE FUNDING, AND I'M HERE TO URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THAT ITEM.
UM, THE SECOND THING I'D LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION IS THAT, UH, ABOUT BIKE SAFETY AND THE BIKE LANES, UH, COMMUNITIES HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER ON SOLVING COMMUNITY PROBLEMS. THIS BIKE LANE HAS CREATED MAYBE THE INCEPTION OF IT WAS A GOOD IDEA.
UH, THE BIKE LANE AND BIKES, BIKE CYCLISTS WHO BIKE ALL THE TIME SAY IT'S THE BIKE LANE TO NOWHERE.
IT'S JUST LOGIC AND IT DOESN'T REALLY CONNECT TO THE MAIN BIKE LANES.
BUT THAT BEING ASIDE, I THINK THAT THE CITY DOES NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH PROJECTS WHERE CYCLISTS AND CITIZENS CAN RESIDE TOGETHER.
AND TO ME THAT IS CO-MINGLING.
LARGE SIDEWALKS, YOU SEE THAT ON UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES, THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, WIDE SIDEWALKS.
THEY DON'T HAVE DEDICATED BIKE LANES.
UH, IT'S DANGEROUS FOR BIKE FOR PEOPLE WHO USE BIKES.
AND SO I URGE YOU TO, UM, CONSIDER LISTENING TO THE RESIDENTS AND THE CITIZENS OF THE AREA AND CHANGE THE, THE CONFIGURATION OF THAT STREET.
I JUST WANNA FURTHER EMPHASIZE WHAT SHE WAS SAYING ABOUT THE BIKE LANES TO NOWHERE.
UH, THOSE LANES WERE ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO BE A PART OF A LARGER METRO CONNECTED PROJECT.
THAT LARGER PROJECT WAS CANCELED, WHICH MEANS THE CURRENT BIKE LANES DO NOT CONNECT TO A BROADER NETWORK AND EFFECTIVELY DO NOT LEAD TO ANYWHERE.
IT'S NO COINCIDENCE THAT HER LAST NAME IS THE SAME AS THE FIRST SPEAKER.
UM, UH,
SORRY, KEN, YOU'RE YOU'RE, YOU'RE A SCHOOL MATE.
WE ADOPTED YOU, BUT DOLORES IS MY CLASSMATE.
NEXT GUADALUPE FERNANDEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY KRISTEN SCH SLIMER.
MY NAME IS GUADALUPE FERNANDEZ, POLICY STRATEGY DIRECTOR AT BAYOU CITY WATERKEEPER AND A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT I I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ON THE 2021 WASTEWATER CONSENT DECREE, A CRITICAL ROADMAP FOR OUR CITY AND THE URGENCY REQUIRED TO SEE IT THROUGH FIVE YEARS IN.
EARLIER THIS YEAR, WE COMMISSIONED AN INDEPENDENT ENGINEER TO REVIEW ALL PUBLICLY AVAILABLE REPORTING, INCLUDING THE 2022 CM OM PROGRAM PLAN.
OUR FINDINGS ARE CLEAR WHERE THE CITY INVESTS IT WORKS IN WOODLAND PARK.
EARLY PROJECTS HAVE ALREADY SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED SEWER OVERFLOWS DURING WET WEATHER EVENTS.
THIS IS PROOF THAT WHEN WE PRIORITIZE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, WE GET REAL RESULTS TO ENSURE THE SUCCESS ACROSS THE CITY.
WE'RE ASKING CITY COUNCIL FOR A FEW THINGS.
ENSURE THAT THE CITY REMAINS IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH ITS LEGAL OBLIGATIONS.
THIS DECREE WAS A WIN FROM HOUSTONIANS, AND WE MUST PROTECT THAT PROGRESS.
BASED ON MY CONVERSATIONS WITH MANY OF YOU.
THE LAST TIME PUBLIC WORKS GAVE A PUBLIC UPDATE ON THE SERVICE DELIVERY COMMITTEE WAS IN AUGUST, 2024.
COUNCIL AND RESIDENTS DESERVE CLEAR ACCESSIBLE DATA.
TRANSPARENCY IS THE ONLY WAY WE CAN VERIFY WORK.
UM, WE CAN VERIFY WORK AND ENSURE THAT OUR CRITICAL INVESTMENTS ARE BEING MANAGED RESPONSIBLY AND EFFICIENTLY PROTECT OUR RATE PAYERS.
WE MUST MOVE QUICKLY TO MITIGATE RISING COSTS AND POTENTIAL FINES.
DEFERRED MAINTENANCE IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE WAY TO RUN A CITY.
EVERY DAY OF DELAY INCREASES THE FINANCIAL BURDEN ON HOUSTON RATE PAYERS.
WE'RE ALREADY FACING A $9 BILLION PRICE TAG.
WE MUST ACT NOW TO ENSURE OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS AREN'T FORCED TO PAY FOR THE CITY'S PROJECT DELAYS.
[00:25:01]
THE WORK IS TOO IMPORTANT AND THE INVESTMENT IS TOO SIGNIFICANT FOR US TO OPERATE WITHOUT TOTAL CLARITY.TO ASSIST YOU WITH THIS OVERSIGHT, WE'VE PROVIDED YOU COPIES OF OUR SUMMARY BRIEF OF THE EXPERTS MEMO.
WE'VE OFFERED MAPS OF SWITCH OVERFLOWS, AND WE'VE INCLUDED A LIST OF OVERSIGHT QUESTIONS FOR PUBLIC WORKS.
THESE ARE TO HELP YOU AS REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PEOPLE ENSURE THAT PUBLIC WORKS IS DELIVERING THIS PROJECT ON TIME AND ON BUDGET.
AND MY COLLEAGUE KRISTEN, WILL SHARE MORE ABOUT OUR INDEPENDENT EXPERTS FINDINGS.
NEXT, KRISTEN SCHLEMER TO BE FOLLOWED BY DANIELLE NEWTON.
I'M THE CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT BAYOU CITY WATERKEEPER.
AND I'M A DISTRICT H RESIDENT.
I'VE BEEN IN THIS ROLE SINCE 2018.
UM, AND SO I THINK IT WAS MY FIRST DAY ON THE JOB, I WAS ALREADY THINKING ABOUT HOUSTON SEWAGE PROBLEM.
WE'RE NOW FIVE YEARS INTO THE CONSENT DECREE AND I GET THE QUESTION ALL THE TIME, HOW IS THE CITY ACTUALLY DOING? AND WE COULD LOOK AT THE SEWAGE OVERFLOW REPORTS EVERY MONTH AND SEE THAT THERE'S STILL A BIG PROBLEM.
AND ACTUALLY SEWAGE OVERFLOWS ARE UP.
BUT WE WANTED TO HAVE A MORE, UM, PRECISE ANSWER FOR RESIDENTS.
AND THAT'S WHY WE COMMISSIONED THE IN INDEPENDENT ENGINEER TO GET US SOME ANSWERS.
AND THE REPORT FROM THE ENGINEER, UM, IS INCONCLUSIVE.
UM, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS IS UNCLEAR REPORTING LIKE GUADALUPE JUST MENTIONED.
UM, BUT WHERE THE REPORTING IS CLEAR, YES, WE'VE SEEN SOME PROGRESS, BUT WE'RE ALSO SEEING SERIOUS DELAYS.
WE'VE ALSO SEEN UNMET DEADLINES.
UM, EXAMPLES OF THIS INCLUDE WITH, UH, PLANNING AROUND CAPA ADDRESSING CAPACITY.
SO ALL THE BIG OVERFLOWS THAT WE SEE DURING STORMS, UH, THREE OF THREE MAJOR PROJECTS ARE BEING DELAYED ALMOST TO THE END OF THIS CONSENT DECREE.
SO WE'RE GONNA GET TO THE END OF THE CONSENT DECREE AND ONLY BE DEALING WITH SOME OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS THE CITY IS EXPERIENCING.
UM, SIMILAR PROBLEMS ARE WITH WASTEWATER TREAT PLANT OR WASTEWATER TREATMENT.
PLANT EVALUATIONS LIKE THE 69TH STREET WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.
THAT'S THE OLDEST AND BIGGEST AND SOMETIMES THE MOST PROBLEMATIC, UM, WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT AT THE CITY.
UM, SAME DEAL WITH WET, UH, WEATHER FACILITIES.
THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN UNTIL THE END OF THE CONSENT DECREE.
SO OTHER WORK HAS BEEN COMPLETED, UM, BUT IS BEHIND SCHEDULE.
AND SO ALL THIS LEADS US TO WONDER HOW DELAYS ON WHAT, YOU KNOW, PROJECTS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE PRIORITY PROJECTS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE EARLY ACTION PROJECTS.
IF THESE ARE DELAYED, HOW'S THAT GONNA AFFECT THE TIMING FOR EVERYTHING ELSE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE? UM, AND THIS RAISES JUST LIKE THE BIGGER QUESTION WITH 10 YEARS LEFT IN THIS CONSENT DECREE, IS THE CITY LEGITIMATELY ON TRACK TO FINISH ALL REQUIRED UPGRADES BY THE 2036 DEADLINE? AND WE HOPE THIS COUNCIL WILL ASK THAT QUESTION OF PUBLIC WORKS.
NEXT, DANIELLE NEWTON TO BE FOLLOWED BY USMAN MAHMUD.
I'M THE COMMUNICATIONS AND DESIGN SPECIALIST WITH BAYOU CITY WATER KEEPER.
UM, I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF COMMUNITY, MEMBER OF DISTRICT A AS WELL.
I WANNA START BY SAYING THAT IF YOU LIVE IN COUNCIL DISTRICTS, B-D-F-H-R-I, YOUR COMMUNITY IS MORE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE SEWAGE OVERFLOWS THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN HOUSTON.
MEANING THAT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD FACES A HIGHER RISK OF EXPOSURE TO HARMFUL BACTERIA, CONTAMINATED WATER, AND SERIOUS PUBLIC HEALTH RISK AS A RESULT TO SEWAGE OVERFLOWS AND EXPOSURE WITH ME.
USING DATA DIRECTLY FROM HOUSTON'S 3 1 1 WASTEWATER REPORTS.
ONE SHOWS OVERFLOW HOTSPOTS SINCE THE ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT DECREE IN 2021.
AND THE OTHER SHOWS OVERFLOW LOCATIONS BY COUNCIL DISTRICT.
AND IF ANYONE HERE WOULD LIKE A COPY OF THOSE MAPS, PLEASE COME SEE ME TOGETHER.
THEY SHOW A CLEAR AND CONSISTENT PATTERN THAT OVERFLOWS ARE NOT EVENLY DISTRIBUTED AND THAT THEY'RE CONCENTRATED IN SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS.
AND THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE LOCATED IN DISTRICTS BDFH AND I.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT AGAIN, HOWEVER, SEWAGE OVERFLOWS DO OCCUR ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO WHENEVER YOU LAYER THIS DATA WITH INCOME, DEMOGRAPHICS, FLOOD RISK, AND SOCIAL VULNERABILITY, THE SAME AREAS THAT ARE ALREADY FACING THE HIGHEST INFRASTRUCTURE BURDENS CONTINUE TO SEE THE WORST OUTCOMES.
SO THE DATA SHOWS US THAT THE ROAD TO ZERO OVERFLOWS IS NOT MOVING AT THE PACE THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS DESERVE.
AND THE SLOPE PACE HAS CONSEQUENCES WITH THE CONSENT DECREE, SUCH AS INCREASED COSTS, COSTLY PENALTIES, AND POTENTIALLY RISING FEES FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS EACH YEAR, THIS CITY MUST ZERO IN ON PRIORITY AREAS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN
[00:30:01]
IDENTIFIED AND THE HOTSPOTS THAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU, IT MEANS INVESTING IN THESE HIGH BURDEN COMMUNITIES SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.SO YOU HAVE THE DATA, I'M JUST HOPING THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO DRIVE DECISION MAKING.
NEXT USMAN MAHMUD TO BE FOLLOWED BY LANKA CARDENA.
MY NAME IS USMAN AND I'M ALSO WITH BAYOU CITY WATERKEEPER.
FIVE YEARS AGO, HOUSTON ENTERED A FEDERAL CONSENT DECREE TO FIX ITS SEWER SYSTEM.
WE'RE HERE TODAY BECAUSE WE WANT MAKE SURE THAT WORK STAYS ON TRACK.
EARLIER THIS MONTH WE WERE IN WASHINGTON DC ADVOCATING FOR HOUSTON, PUSHING FOR THE FEDERAL FUNDING.
THIS CITY NEEDS TO ACTUALLY GET THE WORK DONE.
WE WANT TO SEE THIS SUCCEED AT THE SAME TIME.
THE COST OF THIS INFRASTRUCTURE OVERHAUL KEEPS GOING UP AND DELAYS IN PROJECT COMPLETION MEANS COST WILL CONTINUE TO RISE EVEN BEYOND THE 20 24 4 REPORTED TAG OF $9 BILLION.
THE CITY NEEDS TO BE AGGRESSIVELY PURSUING FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING TO BRIDGE THIS GAP.
THESE FUNDING AND REPAIRS MATTER BECAUSE HOUSTON FLOODS RANDOMLY AND RAPIDLY.
AND WHEN SEWERS FAIL DURING A FLOOD, IT BECOMES AN INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEM AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, A PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM.
LIKEWISE, THE MAIN SEWAGE SYSTEM IS INEXTRICABLY LINKED WITH THE PRIVATE SIDE.
AND BETTER FUNDING WOULD HELP CREATE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR THOSE WHO CAN'T AFFORD TO REPAIR FAULTY SEWER LINES THAT COST THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
AS YOU'VE HEARD FROM MY COLLEAGUES, WE'RE HERE TO BE THOUGHT PARTNERS WITH THE CITY ON THE ISSUE.
AND ADVOCATING FOR FUNDING THAT GETS US TO OUR SHARED GOALS IS ONE WAY WE CAN DO THAT.
SO WE'RE, AS WE'RE ASKING YOU TO PUSH, UH, PUBLIC WORKS FOR BETTER TRANSPARENCY AND STRONGER REPORTING.
WE ALSO SUPPORT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT A REAL PLAN FOR FUNDING THIS WORK, DOING SO IN A WAY THAT DOES NOT COST THE MOST FOR PEOPLE WITH THE LEAST.
NEXT LANKA CARDENAS, STEPHANIE VALDEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOE RAMIREZ.
MY NAME IS STEPHANIE VALEZ AND I'M HERE IN SUPPORT WITH MY COLLEAGUES, BUT I LEAD THE WATER PROGRAM, UM, WITH THE COALITION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT EQUITY AND RESILIENCE.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT TWO THINGS, THE WASTEWATER CONSENT DECREE AND THE CITY'S BUDGET AND WHY THEY CAN'T BE, THEY CAN'T KEEP BEING TREATED LIKE TWO SEPARATE CONVERSATIONS.
THE CONSENT DECREE IS NOT A SUGGESTION.
IT IS A LEGALLY BINDING COMMITMENT TO FIX A SEWER SYSTEM THAT HAS FAILED OUR COMMUNITIES FOR DECADES.
NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RAW SEWAGE IN OUR STREETS, IN OUR PARKS, OUR VALUES, AND THAT BURDEN DOESN'T FALL EVENLY ACROSS HOUSTON.
THE BUDGET IS WHEN WE SEE WHAT THE CITY ACTUALLY DOES ABOUT IT.
AND RIGHT NOW, THE INFORMATION WE ARE RECEIVING JUST DOESN'T ADD UP.
THE, THE COST OF THE CONSENT DECREE HAS GROWN FROM 2 BILLION TO AT LEAST 9 BILLION.
MEANWHILE, RESIDENTS ARE PAYING MORE EVERY YEAR THROUGH RISING WATER AND SEWAGE RATES.
DESPITE ALL OF THAT, IT IS INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING AND WHETHER IT'S REACHING NEIGHBORHOODS THAT NEEDED THE MOST.
WE'RE GIVING REPORTS, BUT NOT CLARITY SUMMARIES, BUT THE BUT NOT THE RAW DATA THAT WE NEED TO VERIFY THE PROGRESS.
AND THAT MATTERS BECAUSE THE CITY ALREADY HAS A PRIORITY MATRIX AND IT'S SUPPOSED THAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO GUIDE ALL OF THESE PROJECTS.
IF WE CAN'T SEE THE DATA, WE CAN'T SEE WHETHER YOU ALL ARE KEEPING OUR PROMISES OR NOT.
SO THE REALITY IS THAT THE CONSENT DECREE IS THE OBLIGATION.
THE BUDGET SHOULD BE THE EVIDENCE.
AND RIGHT NOW THAT EVIDENCE IS MISSING.
SO DELAYS ARE DRIVING UP COST AND RATE.
PAYERS ARE BEING ASKED TO COVER UP THAT COVER THAT GAP TO SPEND OUR TAX DOLLARS.
WITHOUT TRANSPARENCY, WITHOUT CLEAR TIMELINES AND WITHOUT ACCOUNTABILITY.
WE NEED TRANSPARENCY, WE NEED EQUITY, AND WE NEED ACCOUNTABILITY BECAUSE HOUSTONIANS SHOULD NOT BE PAYING MORE WHILE THEY'RE LEFT IN THE DARK.
NEXT JOE RAMIREZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY BRITTANY RAMIREZ.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR WHITMEYER, MEMBERS OF THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS RETIRED ARMY BRIGADIER GENERAL JOE RAMIREZ, JR.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY ABOUT THE RENAMING OF ARCH CHAVE STREET IN HOUSTON'S HISTORIC EAST END.
I GREW UP IN THE MAGNOLIA PARK NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE EAST END, AND I'M HERE TODAY TO ADVOCATE FOR RENAMING SAVE OUR CHILD HISTORY FOR A LOCAL MAGNOLIA PARK HERO.
MY FATHER, MASTER SERGEANT JOE CHACO RAMIREZ.
JOE RAMIREZ, GREW UP IN MAGNOLIA PARK, THE YOUNGEST SON OF ELIAS AND ISABELLE RAMIREZ, AND HAD EIGHT SISTERS.
HE GRADUATED FROM SAN HOUSTON HIGH SCHOOL IN 1950 AND SOON AFTER JOINED THE UNITED STATES ARMY.
SIX MONTHS AFTER HE JOINED THE ARMY, HE FOUND HIMSELF IN THE KOREAN PENINSULA IN THE BITTER FIGHTING OF THE KOREAN CONFLICT.
IN LATE OCTOBER, 1950, HIS UNIT WAS
[00:35:01]
OVERRUN BY CHINESE HUMAN WAVE ATTACKS.HE WAS SHOT FIVE TIMES AND WAS TAKEN PRISONER OF WAR BY THE CHINESE.
HE SPENT THE NEXT 33 MONTHS AS A POW, EVENTUALLY BEING REPATRIATED.
IN 1953, HE RETURNED HOME TO MONGOLIA PARK TO A HERO'S WELCOME WITH OVER 300 MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THERE TO GREET HIM, INCLUDING HIS MOTHER, HIS FATHER, AND ALL OF HIS SISTERS.
AT THE TIME, HE WEIGHED JUST OVER 80 POUNDS, HAVING BARELY SURVIVED THE HORRORS OF THAT POW CAMP.
AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AT HOME, HE DECIDED TO REENLIST IN THE ARMY AND WENT ON TO SERVE FOR 22 YEARS, RETIRING AS A MASTER SERGEANT IN 1972.
UPON RETIREMENT FROM THE ARMY, JOE BROUGHT HIS FAMILY BACK TO MAGNOLIA PARK, WHERE HE BECAME AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY.
HE WAS A MEMBER OF AMERICAN LEGION POST 4 72 FOR ALMOST 50 YEARS, ADVOCATING FOR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND LEADING THE NATIONAL CHAMPION COLOR GUARD FOR MANY YEARS.
HE ALSO HELPED OVERSEE EFFORTS TO PROVIDE FOOD FOR NEEDY FAMILIES, AS WELL AS GIFTS FOR NEIGHBORHOOD FAMILIES SO THEY COULD PROVIDE CHRISTMAS FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
HE WAS ALSO INSTRUMENTAL IN RAISING MONEY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE FROM THE EAST END, PROVIDING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO PURSUE THEIR DREAM OF GETTING A COLLEGE EDUCATION.
HE COACHED THE MAGNOLIA SHARKS YOUTH FOOTBALL TEAM AND WAS ALSO THE COMMISSIONER OF THE LATIN AMERICAN BASEBALL LEAGUE, A LEAGUE THAT PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUNG MEN TO PLAY BASEBALL AT THE COLLEGIATE AND SEMI-PRO LEVELS.
HE EVEN WORKED AT THE RAMSEY UNIT OF THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, TEACHING PRISONERS HOW TO MAKE PRESCRIPTION GLASSES SO THEY WOULD HAVE A VIABLE SKILL UPON RELEASE FROM CUSTODY.
JOE CHACO RAMIREZ DIED IN 2020 FROM CANCER AT AGE 89.
BUT DAYS BEFORE HIS DEATH, THE COMMUNITY THREW HIM A DRIVE-BY PARADE IN HONOR OF HIS 89TH BIRTHDAY AND ALL THAT HE HAD DONE FOR THE COMMUNITY, HIS LEGACY LIVES ON IN THE MANY LIVES.
HE TOUCHED WITH HIS SELFLESS SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS IN THESE CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN, AND GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN.
IN CLOSING, I'D LIKE TO ONCE AGAIN ASK YOUR SUPPORT FOR A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN WHO LED A LIFE OF SELFLESS SERVICE TO HIS NATION, HIS STATE, HIS CITY, AND HIS COMMUNITY, AND IS TRULY DESERVING OF HAVING A STREET IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD HE GREW UP IN AND RAISED HIS FAMILY IN NAMED AFTER HIM.
I HUMBLY ASK THAT YOU STRONGLY CONSIDER NAMING CESAR CHAVEZ STREET IN HOUSTON'S EAST END FOR TRUE MAGNOLIA PARK HERO, MASTER SERGEANT JOE E CHACO RAMIREZ.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND ALL THAT YOU DO FOR THE CITIZENS OF HOUSTON AND MY HOMETOWN.
JUST A MEMBER COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.
I JUST WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY, MY FRIEND.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TOO AS WELL, SIR, AS WELL.
UH, RETIRED GENERAL, JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
UM, AND JUST KIND OF LAY SOME OF THE, THE GROUNDWORK.
FIRST, I WANT TO JUST THANK THE MAYOR FOR, UH, ALLOWING US TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
UH, I SHARED INITIALLY THAT TO RENAME A STREET OR NAME A STREET, IT'S, UH, 75% OF THE SIGNATURES ALONG THAT CORRIDOR.
UH, THEN YOU GOTTA TAKE IT TO THE PLANT DEPARTMENT.
SO IT'S A LENGTHY AND CUMBERSOME PROCESS.
UH, WE DO HAVE A SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY TO SEE SOMETHING HAPPEN.
UM, AND, UH, I WAS AT A MEETING THIS PAST WEEK IN THE COMMUNITY AND, AND WHAT I'M ASKING FOLKS TO DO IS TO CONTINUE TO COME TO PUBLIC SESSION, UH, SO THAT WAY MY COLLEAGUES CAN HEAR, UH, WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU COMING IN AND ADVOCATING FOR JOE CHACO RAMIREZ.
THIS WAS, UH, NOT A HARD DECISION FOR ME TO MAKE.
OBVIOUSLY I LIVE IN COLLEGE STATION, UH, THAT WAS AN EASY DRIVE TO MAKE TO COME IN TODAY AND ADVOCATE FOR NAMING THAT STREET AFTER MY FATHER.
AND I REALIZE IT'S A LONG PROCESS, BUT I'M THANKFUL THAT WE'RE AT LEAST CONSIDERING PEOPLE FROM HOUSTON AND HOUSTON'S EAST END TO BE NAMED FOR THAT STREET.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AS WELL.
I'M GONNA TELL YOU, I WAS KIND OF LOOKING OFF WHEN YOU FIRST GOT UP THERE, BUT WHEN YOU SAID WHO YOU WERE, I HAD TO LOOK AT YOU WITH SO MUCH RESPECT.
AND SO I TOO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU HAVE COME FORWARD TO, UH, GIVE THE COMMUNITY ANOTHER OPTION, UH, YOU KNOW, IN THE PROCESS.
AND THANK YOU, SIR FOR YOUR SERVICE AND FOR BEING HERE AND FOR SHARING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR FATHER.
TRULY WAS A GREAT MAN, A HERO.
AND, UM, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE MEETING LAST WEEK AT THE AMERICAN LEGION HALL, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR NAMING, UH, THE STREET AFTER, AFTER YOUR DAD.
AND SO WHATEVER'S DECIDED, UM, TRULY THANK YOU FOR SHARING, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, ABOUT HOW, WHAT A HERO YOUR DAD WAS.
I HOPE TO BE THERE LAST THURSDAY.
UNFORTUNATELY, I HAD, UH, ROTATOR CUFF SURGERY LAST THURSDAY, SO I WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT.
BUT, UH, I GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT IN THIS EFFORT.
LET ME PERSONALLY THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD TIMES WE'VE SPENT TOGETHER.
MAYOR, IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN AND AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING FOR THIS GREAT CITY OF OURS.
[00:40:01]
FOLLOWED BY RICHARD NORIEGA.HELLO, MAYOR WHITMEYER AND, UH, HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE AND GRANT ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THE MATTER OF RENAMING CAESAR CHAVEZ BOULEVARD IN HOUSTON'S EAST END.
MY NAME IS BRITTANY RAMIREZ AND I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR CAESAR CHAVEZ STREET TO BE RENAMED AFTER A LOCAL HERO FROM THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, MY GRANDFATHER, MASTER SERGEANT JOE E CHACO RAMIREZ.
I KNOW YOU'VE HEARD A, UM, ABOUT HOW JOE RAMIREZ SERVED HIS COUNTRY VALIANTLY AND THE HORRORS HE WENT THROUGH.
SO I WILL NOT TALK ABOUT JOE RAMIREZ, THE SOLDIER.
I WILL TALK ABOUT JOE RAMIREZ.
THE MAN, JOE RAMIREZ NOT ONLY GREW UP IN MAGNOLIA PARK, BUT HE RAISED HIS FAMILY THERE.
HE WAS VERY BIG ON THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY, AND HE HAD TWO SONS AND TWO DAUGHTERS.
BOTH OF HIS SONS SERVED IN THE MILITARY.
ONE OF THEM, YOU KNOW, WENT ON TO BE AN ARMY BRIGADIER GENERAL.
THREE OF HIS KIDS GRADUATED COLLEGE AND ALL OF HIS KIDS WERE SUCCESSFUL IN ALL OF THEIR ENDEAVORS.
HE WENT ON TO HAVE GRANDCHILDREN, GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN, NIECES, NEPHEWS, ALL WHO WOULD BECOME NURSES, FIREFIGHTERS, TEACHERS, POLITICAL ACTIVISTS, LAWYERS AND POLITICIANS, AND SO MUCH MORE, ALL BECAUSE OF THE VALUES THAT HE INSTILLED IN US.
JOE RAMIREZ TAUGHT US THE VALUE OF INTEGRITY OF HARD WORK, TO ALWAYS BE PROUD OF WHERE YOU COME FROM, TO ALWAYS STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT, EVEN WHEN IT SEEMS THE WHOLE WORLD IS AGAINST YOU.
TO ALWAYS STAY POSITIVE AND KEEP YOUR FAITH EVEN IN THE HARDEST OF TIMES, AND TO ALWAYS SERVE OTHERS AND GIVE BACK, ESPECIALLY TO YOUR COMMUNITY.
HIS UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO SERVING OTHERS AND GIVING BACK TO HIS COMMUNITY LEFT AN INDELIBLE MARK ON THOSE AROUND HIM.
THE VALUE OF ALWAYS GIVING BACK WAS A SIGNIFICANT ONE TO JOE RAMIREZ, AS HE CONSIDERED HIS NEIGHBORHOOD TO BE HIS FAMILY.
HE NOT ONLY IMPARTED THESE VALUES TO US, BUT HE DEMONSTRATED IT THROUGH HIS ACTIONS.
EVEN AFTER RETIRING FROM THE ARMY, HE REMAINED AN ACTIVE VOLUNTEER, CONSISTENTLY GIVING BACK AND SERVING THOSE IN HIS COMMUNITY.
HE WOULD OFTEN BRING ALL OF US ALONG WHEN HE VOLUNTEERED AT CHARITIES, SPOKE AT EVENTS FOR VETERANS, AND WE WOULD ALSO HELP DELIVER HOUSE ITEMS, CLOTHES AND GIFTS WHEN HE WOULD ADOPT FAMILIES EVERY HOLIDAY.
HE WAS ALWAYS THERE FOR HIS FAMILY AND ANYONE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO NEEDED HIM.
HE TAUGHT US THE IMPORTANCE OF LOVING OUR GOD, LOVING OUR FAMILY, AND LOVING OUR COUNTRY.
IT IS BECAUSE OF THE VALUES THAT HE INSTILLED IN US AND THE LOVE AND SUPPORT THAT HE SHOWED HIS COMMUNITY, THAT SO MANY MEMBERS OF HIS LEGACY HAVE GONE ON TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS AND BE, HAVE, BECOME CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS OF SOCIETY.
IN CONCLUSION, I WOULD KINDLY RE REQUEST YOUR SUPPORT IN NAMING CAESAR CHAVEZ, UH, STREET AFTER MASTER SERGEANT JOE CHACO RAMIREZ, A MAN WHO SPENT HIS ENTIRE LIFE SELFLESSLY SERVING HIS GOD, HIS FAMILY, HIS COUNTRY, AND HIS COMMUNITY.
NEXT RICHARD NORIEGA TO BE FOLLOWED BY ROY HIRSCH.
THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND, UM, FIRST OF ALL, I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF, UH, AMERICAN LEGION POST 4 72, 1 OF THE FINEST AMERICAN LEGION POSTS IN THE COMMUNITY, IF NOT IN THIS COUNTRY, IN MY OPINION.
AND I WANNA THANK THOSE COUNCIL MEMBERS, LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER DAVE IS COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ, THE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO AND OTHERS WHO FREQUENT THE AMERICAN LEGION POST, NOT JUST AT CERTAIN TIMES, BUT FREQUENTLY.
THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS BEING A PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND, AND MAGNOLIA PARK.
I TOO AM HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE RENAMING OF CESA CHAVEZ, UH, STREET FOR MASTER SERGEANT JOE CHACO RAMIREZ, AS WAS MENTIONED BY BRIGADIER GENERAL RAMIREZ.
UH, THE ARMY VALUE THAT HE TRULY REPRESENTED WAS SELFLESS SERVICE CONSTANTLY, EVEN THOUGH HE SPENT A THOUSAND DAYS IN IMPRISONMENT IN, UH, NORTH KOREAN AND CHINESE, UH, PRISON CAMPS.
UM, THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW HIS STORY, THE FAMILY DID NOT KNOW WHERE HE WAS DURING ALL THAT TIME UNTIL A LIFE MAGAZINE STORY CAME OUT THAT SHOWED NORTH KOREANS, UH, TAKING AMERICAN JOURNALISTS TO POW CAMPS TO SHOW AS A PROPAGANDA TOOL THAT THEY WERE BEING TREATED FAIRLY.
IT WAS ONLY THEN THAT HE WAS SPOTTED IN THE, IN THE MAGAZINE OF LIFE MAGAZINE THAT HE WAS, HE WAS PICTURED THERE.
WHEN HE WAS FINALLY RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES, HE WAS GREETED AT HOBBY AIRPORT AS HE EXITED THE TARMAC BY THE MOTHERS OF MAGNOLIA PARK THAT GREETED HIM.
[00:45:01]
TO IMMACULATE, UH, IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CHURCH WITH HIS MOTHER TO GIVE PRAYER.AND THANKS FOR HIS RETURN HOME.
AS WAS MENTIONED BY GENERAL RAMIREZ, HE REENTERED THE MILITARY SERVICE, BUT UPON HIS RETURN RETIREMENT, HE CONTINUED TO SERVE HIS COMMUNITY.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU COME FROM, HOW DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING? AND HE'S REPRESENTATIVE OF WHAT WE NEED TO INSTILL IN, IN ALL OF OUR CHILDREN THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY, TO BE PROUDFUL OF WHERE YOU CAME FROM AND TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO GIVE BACK IN THE MANNER OF SELFLESS SERVICE.
AS JOE CHACO RAMIREZ, WHEN I GOT PINNED, I MADE IT A POINT TO GO TO POST 4 72, COUNCILMAN DAVIS AND I HAD CHACO PINNED ME IN OUR AMERICAN LEGION POST.
IN ADDITION, WHEN MY FATHER PASSED, WHO WAS A VETERAN OF THE 82ND AIRBORNE, CHOAL WAS ONE THAT DELIVERED THE FLAGS FROM MY FATHER'S COFFIN TO MY MOTHER.
AND I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW MANY FLAGS CHOAL GAVE TO OTHER LOVED ONES THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS A MEMBER OF THAT HONORED DETAIL.
SO I HUMBLY ASK AND RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT Y'ALL CONSIDER THE RENAMING OF CESAR CHAVEZ STREET FOR MASTER SERGEANT JOEL CHACO.
UH, I MEAN, COUNCIL MAYOR CARTER.
AND YOU ALL HAVE PAINTED A, A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE OF ONE OF OUR NATION'S GREATEST TREASURES, UH, A VETERAN AND, AND WHAT A GREAT MAN, UM, SERVING HIS COUNTRY, HIS COMMUNITY, GOD AND HIS HOME.
AND, AND JUST THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN AND ADVOCATING FOR SOMEONE.
SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE VERY DESERVING AND YOU TOO ARE A BRIGADIER GENERAL.
LAST TIME I CHECKED, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
THANK YOU COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.
THANK YOU MAYOR BROTHER RICK AIRBORNE.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AS WELL, FOR THOSE OF US THAT KNOW, UH, WHAT WE GIVE.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR EXPRESSING IT AND CLARIFYING IT FOR SUCH A GREAT MAN.
SO THANK YOU FOR COMING AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
LET ME ADD, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE, THE MILITARY SERVING IN LEGISLATURE.
YOU WERE A PRETTY GOOD STAFFER, THE SENATOR WHITMAR AT ONE TIME.
UH, I COPIED YOUR HAIRSTYLE, MAYOR
AND ALSO, UH, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING THE AUTHOR OF THE DREAM ACT.
IT'S MADE A DIFFERENCE IN SO MANY LIVES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO YOUR OUTSTANDING HOUSTONIAN TEXAN, US CITIZEN, AND GOOD TO HAVE YOU AS A FRIEND.
THANK YOU MAYOR FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT AND FOR YOUR FAMILY SUPPORT.
AS ALWAYS, WE APPRECIATE YOU GREATLY.
NEXT, THANK YOU ROY HIRSH, RENEE HUDSON, MAYA TYLER TO BE FOLLOWED BY ARVA HOWARD.
FIRST, I GIVE ALL HONOR AND GLORY TO GOD FOR ALLOWING ME TO STAND HERE TODAY AND SPEAK TRUTH ON BEHALF OF MY COMMUNITY.
MY NAME IS MAYA TYLER AND I'M HERE BECAUSE THE PEOPLE OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD ARE FRUSTRATED AND TIRED OF THE BIKE LANES AND BUS PORTS ON BLO STREET.
LET ME BE CLEAR, WE UNDERSTAND THAT CITY COUNCIL DID NOT CREATE THIS PROBLEM FOR US.
HOWEVER, SOMEONE DID SO WE WOULD LIKE FOR IT TO BE SOLVED.
COMMISSIONER RODNEY ELLIS PUSHED A PROJECT ONTO OUR COMMUNITY THAT MAY HAVE LOOKED GOOD IN THE PRESS RELEASE, BUT HAS FAILED US IN REAL LIFE.
BLIGE STREET WAS ALREADY A VERY ACTIVE CORRIDOR, YET THE LANES HAVE REMOVED, UH, THE YET THE LANES.
WELL ONE LANE HAS BEEN REMOVED, TRACKED TRAFFIC HAS BEEN RESTRICTED, AND THE CONGREGATION WAS, THE CONGESTION WAS INCREASED.
WITHOUT PROPER COLLABORATION, WITHOUT OUR MEANINGFUL INPUT AND THE RESPECT FOR OUR PEOPLE, WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND NOW OUR COMMUNITY HAS TO PAY THE PRICE.
TRAFFIC FAMILIES ARE CONSTANTLY INCONVENIENCED AND BUSINESSES MOST OF ALL ARE, ARE IMPACTED, BUT MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL, AND MOST DANGEROUSLY OF ALL EMERGENCY VEHICLES STRUGGLE TO MOVE THROUGH AN AREA WHERE EVERY SECOND CAN MEAN LIFE OR DEATH.
WHAT KIND OF LEADERSHIP CREATES OBSTACLES FOR AMBULANCES AND FIRE TRUCKS THEN CAUSING PROGRESS? WE WERE TOLD THAT THESE BIKE LANES WERE FOR THE CYCLISTS, YET THEY
[00:50:01]
ARE UNDERUSED WHEN WE ASK THEM, ON AVERAGE HOW MANY CYCLISTS USE LOGIC STREET.NO ONE COULD GIVE US AN ANSWER.
AND EVEN, AND EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NEAR A UNIVERSITY WHERE MANY STUDENTS RELY ON ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION, PEOPLE ARE NOT USING THEM.
STUDENTS CONTINUE TO USE THE ILLUSTRIOUS TIGER WALK WHERE I'M AN ALUMNI AND THEY ARE ALSO USING OTHER PATHS SUCH AS THE COLUMBIA TAP TRAIL BECAUSE IT'S CLEAR CLEARLY IT WAS NOT BASED ON COMMUNITY BEHAVIORS, TRAFFIC PATTERNS OR ARE JUST COMMON SENSE.
ON APRIL 20TH, A SOCIAL MEDIA POST, UM, SAID BY COMMISSIONER ELLIS THAT EVERY HARRIS COUNTY RESIDENT DESERVES TO BE SEEN, HEARD, AND TREATED WITH DIGNITY.
THESE ARE VERY POWERFUL WORDS, HOWEVER, WORDS WITHOUT ACTION ARE JUST EMPTY BECAUSE THIS COMMUNITY WAS NOT SEEN.
WE HAVE NOT BEEN HEARD, AND WE CERTAINLY HAVE NOT BEEN TREATED WITH DIGNITY AT A, A FORUM THAT WE HELD AT PILGRIM CONGREGATION, UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST, WHERE COUNCILWOMAN SHABAZZ EVANS ATTENDED.
WE'VE RAISED SERIOUS CONCERNS AND INSTEAD OF BEING MET WITH HUMILITY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND THE PROMISE OF PARTNERSHIP, WHAT MANY OF US FELT WAS JUST ARROGANCE.
PUBLIC OFFICIALS DO NOT DO COMMUNITIES OF FAVOR BY WASTING MONEY ON UNWANTED PROJECTS THAT DO THEIR JOB.
INSTEAD, THEY DO THEIR JOB BY LISTENING.
MATTER OF FACT, BECAUSE WE DID NOT NEED THIS TO HAPPEN, WE ARE ANGRY BECAUSE OUR VERSE VOICES HAVE BEEN IGNORED.
WE ARE HERE BECAUSE WE WILL NOT BE SILENT.
I MEAN, WE ARE FROM THIRD WARD, A COMMUNITY WITH LEGACY, PRIDE, RESILIENCE, AND A LONG MEMORY.
WE KNOW WHEN WE ARE BEING OVERLOOKED AND WE KNOW WHEN WE ARE BEING DISRESPECTED.
TODAY I ASK CITY COUNCIL TO STAND WITH US, THE RESIDENTS, THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THOSE WHO WORK AND COMMUTE THERE TO STAND FOR SAFETY, NOT FOR VANITY PROJECTS, TO STAND WITH THE PEOPLE WHO MUST LIVE WITH THESE DECISIONS.
LONG AFTER THE RIBBON CUT PHOTOS ARE GONE.
WE WANT ACTION, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND THE REMOVAL OF THE BUDGET BIKE LANE.
DID YOU FINISH WHAT YOU WERE GONNA SAY? MIKE? THANK YOU ALL.
WELL, I WANNA SAY I MET MAYA YEARS AGO.
SHE WAS A LEADER AT THE TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY.
VERY, I ALMOST WANNA STAND UP AND APPLAUD AND SALUTE YOU.
YOUR WORDS WERE SO TRUE, UH, IN TERMS OF, UH, HOW THIS PROJECT, UH, HAPPENED.
AND CERTAINLY SPEAKING FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF TSU TS, U'S FUTURE GROWTH, THE CAMPUS SAFETY, I HAVE SENT THE MAYOR PICTURES OF THE CONGESTION IN IN THE AREA ABSOLUTELY.
UM, THAT THE PEOPLE HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
AND IT'S NOT JUST DURING THE WEEK, IT'S ALSO ON SUNDAYS.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE ABILITY TO, UM, MANAGE SPECIAL EVENTS AND DAILY GARAGE ACCESS CANNOT DEPEND ON A ONE LANE STREET CONFIGURATION THAT CREATES CONGESTION, CONFUSION AND ACCESS CHALLENGES.
SO YOU ARE SPOT ON AND SHE'S A YOUNG PERSON AND SO THAT REALLY MAKES ME FEEL GOOD TO HAVE A YOUNG PERSON COME AND SPEAK, UM, KNOWING THAT MAYBE A LOT OF HER FRIENDS MAY BIKE, BUT CERTAINLY, UM, SHE'S VERY MUCH A PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOU COMING FORWARD.
NEXT ARVA HOWARD TO BE FOLLOWED BY LION LIONEL HOWARD.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND ESTEEM.
MY NAME IS ARVA HOWARD AND I HAVE LIVED WITHIN ONE BLOCK OF BT AND TIERWESTER MY ENTIRE LIFE.
I HAVE SEEN MY NEIGHBORHOOD THROUGH STORMS, CELEBRATIONS, AND RENEWAL, AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE THIS EVENING TO SPEAK ON THOSE OF US WHO RELY ON BT AND TIERWESTER EVERY DAY TO ENTER OUR, AND EXIT OUR HOMES, TO GET TO OUR CHURCHES, TO OUR STORES, TO OUR JOBS, AND TO OUR SCHOOLS.
ALTHOUGH THE LACK OF NOTIFICATION ABOUT THIS PROJECT WAS DISRESPECTFUL IN ITSELF, THE GREATER CONCERN FOR OUR COMMUNITY COMES DOWN TO THREE URGENT POINTS.
FIRST, THE CONVERSION OF A FOUR LANE STREET TO A TWO-WAY STREET, FOUR LANE, TWO-WAY STREET INTO A SINGLE LANE IN EACH DIRECTION IS ALREADY BLOCKED.
EMERGENCY AND FIRST REPO RESPONDER VEHICLES WHEN AN AMBULANCE OR FIRE TRUCK CANNOT MOVE.
AND I'VE EXPERIENCED THAT WHERE WE COULD NOT MOVE WITH AN AMBULANCE.
TWO CARS BEHIND US LIVES ARE NOT SIMPLY INCONVENIENCED, THEY ARE PUT AT RISK.
NO TRANSPORTATION PLAN IS WORTH A SINGLE PREVENTABLE TRAGEDY.
SECOND, THE PRIORITY FOR THIS DESIGN
[00:55:01]
WAS NOT FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR COMMUNITY, BUT FOR THE BENEFIT OF A FEW CONNECTED CONTRACTORS.AND THIRD, THIS PROCESS SETS A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT, ALLOWING COUNTY OFFICIALS INFLUENCED BY OUTSIDE ADVOCACY GROUP WHO DO NOT LIVE WITH THE DAILY REALITIES OF OUR STREETS TO IMPOSE CHANGES WITHOUT TRANSPARENCY, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, OR WITHOUT RESPECT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO CALLED THIS NEIGHBORHOOD HOME.
WE WERE NOT CONSULTANT, WE WERE NOT HEARD, AND WE WERE NOT ENGAGED.
AND OUR LIVES HAVE BEEN REARRANGED FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS.
WE ARE NOT AGAINST PROGRESS, WE'RE NOT AGAINST CYCLISTS.
BUT PROGRESS CANNOT MEAN IGNORING THE PEOPLE WHO BEAR BURDENS.
JUSTICE DEMANDS PARTICIPATION, SAFETY DEMANDS, EVIDENCE NOT FLAWED.
AND FAKE DATA AND DEMOCRACY DEMANDS A VOICE NOT JUST FOR THE FEW WHO CYCLE THROUGH, BUT FOR THE MANY WHO LIVE HERE, WORK HERE, AND HAVE BUILT THIS COMMUNITY FOR GENERATIONS.
SO I'M ASKING NOT FOR FAVOR, BUT FOR FAIRNESS, NOT FOR CONFLICT, BUT FOR CORRECTION.
WE ASK THAT THE CITY RESTORE LODGE AND TO YOUR WESTER, TO A SAFE, FUNCTIONAL ROADWAY AND PREVENT THIS KIND OF OVERREACH FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD DESERVES A PROCESS THAT RESPECTS US, A PROCESS THAT PROTECTS OUR ELDERS OF WHOM I'M ONE AND A PROCESS THAT HARRIS COUNTY CONSTITUENTS DESERVE GOVERNANCE.
THE TIME HAS EXPIRED AND COOPERATIVE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR LEADERSHIP COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN.
DID YOU FINISH YOUR STATEMENT? I DID.
AND, AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I WAS HERE WHEN THEY DID THAT AND THERE WAS NEVER A VOTE FOR COUNCIL TO APPROVE THE USE OF THOSE STREETS.
AND, AND THAT WAS SIDESTEPPED BECAUSE, UM, THEY KNEW THEY COULDN'T GET THE, UH, SUPPORT.
AND SO IF IT COMES DOWN TO WHO REALLY NEEDS TO REMOVE THOSE BIKE LANES, IT NEEDS TO BE A COUNTY PROJECT BECAUSE THEY, UM, PUT THEM THERE WITHOUT PERMISSION.
SO I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
I KNOW WHEN WE DID COME BACK, COME HERE IN JANUARY, I THINK, OF 2023 AND IT WAS ON THE AGENDA AND THEY PULLED IT AND WE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION.
AND WHEN THAT ADMINISTRATION SAW THAT THE SUPPORT AND THE VOTES WERE NOT THERE, HE TOOK IT OFF THE AGENDA.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A, AN AUTHORIZED PROJECT, AND I AGREE WITH YOU.
IF IT IS NOT THAT ULTRA VIRUS ACT OF THE COUNTY, THEY BEAR THAT FINANCIAL COST.
WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR OUR STREETS TO BECOME SAFE AGAIN.
I INVITE ANY ONE OF YOU OR YOUR STAFF MEMBER JUST COME DRIVE DOWN THE LOGIC AND JUST TAKE A LOOK AT THAT ATROCITY.
IT IS VISUALLY BAD, BUT THE MAIN THING, IT IS UNSAFE.
I'M TIRED OF SEEING MY NEIGHBORS ALMOST HIT THOSE RAILS.
I'VE NOT SEEN ANY BIKE LANE LOOK LIKE THAT IN HARRIS COUNTY OR EVEN FORT BEND COUNTY.
IT JUST COULD HAVE DONE, BEEN DONE BETTER.
AND, UH, THAT PROJECT, IT IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU JUST DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
HOW YOU DOING? ARVA? I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO CITY OF HOUSTON.
YOU ARE GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN IN, IN LEGAL AS ONE OF OUR CITY ATTORNEYS FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
NEXT LIONEL HOWARD TO BE FOLLOWED BY SYSTEM MAMAYA.
CITY COUNCIL HOUSTONIANS AND GUESTS.
SO I COME HERE AS THE, UH, MOST IMMEDIATE, UH, PAST PRESIDENT OF CIVIL TILL WESTERN CIVIC ASSOCIATION AND OUR NORTHERN BORDER IS BLOT STREET.
I AM A GRADUATE OF THE SCH JONES, UH, SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, TEXAS SOUTHERN IN 1973.
I'VE BEEN LIVING ON BLOT, UH, ONE BLOCK OFF BLOT FOR 53 YEARS.
AND THIS CONSTRUCTION OF BLOT, UH, HAS
[01:00:01]
MADE THINGS VERY DANGEROUS, AS YOU'VE HEARD BEFORE.IT WAS NOT, UH, LEGALLY, UH, DONE AS YOU HEARD ALSO, AND IT'S MAKING THINGS VERY DIFFICULT FOR US.
THERE ARE NO BICYCLE RIDERS ON BLOT STREET THAT I'VE SEEN IN THESE 53 YEARS.
I'VE SEEN MAYBE FIVE, UH, IN THOSE, IN THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
SO, AND WE ALSO HAVE TEXAS SOUTHERN, UH, BICYCLE LANE.
SO THIS, UH, CONSTRUCTION IS MAKING IT VERY DANGEROUS FOR US.
AND IT'S, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO, YOU CAN'T EVEN MAKE TURNS ON BLOCKER STREET BECAUSE OF THE CONSTRUCTION.
IF THERE'S A BUS COMING DOWN THE STREET, EVERYBODY'S GOTTA WAIT TO LET THE PEOPLE OFF BECAUSE IT'S ONLY ONE LANE.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A DIFFICULT SITUATION.
AND I'M JUST IMPORTANT THAT THE, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, DOES SOMETHING ABOUT THIS AND REMOVE THAT, THAT BLOODY STREET CONSTRUCTION.
THANK YOU MAYOR, AND GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE.
AND TO YOU AND ALL THE SPEAKERS ON THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC, UH, I WANT YOU TO KNOW IT'S VERY, UH, HELPFUL FOR US TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM YOU ON THIS ISSUE.
YOUR LIVED EXPERIENCE, UH, YOUR DAY-TO-DAY ROUTINE.
UH, YOU EXPERIENCE THIS ON A DAILY BASIS.
AND, UM, THE COUNCIL MEMBER AND I SPOKE ABOUT THIS ITEM WHEN IT, WHEN IT WAS SUPPOSED TO COME BEFORE US BACK THEN.
AND WE, WE SAW, WE, WE FORESAW THIS HAPPENING.
AND I WANT TO GIVE HER CREDIT FOR CONTINUING TO, UH, KEEP THIS ON THE FOREFRONT AND, UH, ADVOCATING ON YOU ALL'S BEHALF.
UH, SHE CAN, SHE DOES IT WEEKLY AND I THINK IT'S BECAUSE IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR YOU ALL AND AS A COMMUNITY.
AND SO, UM, YOUR TIME HERE TODAY WAS, WAS HELPFUL FOR US ALL TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM YOU.
AND I'M A STRONG BELIEVER THAT, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY SHOULD DICTATE WHAT THEY WANT WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY.
UH, YOU'RE THE ONES THAT LIVE THERE EVERY DAY.
YOU'RE THE ONES THAT INVEST IN THAT AREA.
AND SO YOU, UH, SHOULD BE THE DECIDING FACTOR ON WHAT AMENITIES AND WHAT PROJECTS ARE THERE.
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTARY AND EVERYONE ELSE ON THIS TOPIC AS WELL.
ALRIGHT, I THANK YOU, UH, COUNSEL.
NEXT ASSISTANT MAMA SONYA TO BE FOLLOWED BY AL LLOYD.
GREETING SERVANTS OF HOUSTON ASANTE, OUR COUNCILWOMAN.
CAROLYN EVAN SHABAZZ FOR YOUR STELLAR LIONESS REPRESENTATION AND SUPPORT OF THE TRAY.
AND WE BLEED CRIMIN AND GOLD HELL JAY Y.
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ON A PATH TO NOWHERE? JUST DRIVING ALONG A PATH FROM GOING HERE TO THERE? THERE'S A BIKE PATH ON BLIGE THAT'S A PATH TO NOWHERE.
IT WAS BUILT WITH NO INPUT OR BLESSING FROM OUR COMMUNITY.
IT WAS PUT THERE WITH NO THIRD WARD GRINE.
I POLL SOME THIRD WARD INS AND ASK HOW MANY BICYCLES THEY HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST.
AND LIKE ME, THEY'VE SEEN NO ONE ON THE PATH TO NOWHERE.
I WITNESSED AN EMERGENCY VEHICLE JUST TRYING TO GET BY AND WITH THE LANES ALL MESSED UP, THEY HAD TO WAIT PRECIOUS MOMENTS UNTIL IT WAS CLEAR THOSE PRECIOUS MOMENTS COULD HAVE MEANT A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE DEATH AND LIGHT OF A LIFE.
65 YEARS AGO, I MOVED A THIRD WARD WITH MY PARENTS AND HAVE SEEN BLOT GO FROM FOUR USABLE LANES TO TWO DANGEROUS ONES.
WE NEED ALL OF OUR LANES BACK.
THE NEED FOR SECURE PATHWAYS IS IRREFUTABLE.
THIRD ONE ENDS ARE ASKING THAT YOU LISTEN TO US AND HEAR OUR PLEA.
PLEASE SUPPORT THE REMOVAL OF THE BIKE PATH AND DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR RESTORATION OF A BLACK TASTIC, BLACK AWESOME, BLACK MAGNIFICENT COMMUNITY.
I LEAVE YOU WITH THE SONG I SHARE AT THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS.
LISTEN, RUS, HEAR US, RESPECT US.
WE HOPE YOU REALLY CARE ABOUT US.
COUNCIL MEMBER SALINA DE SEC COUNCIL, COUNCILMAN SALINAS.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY IT IS SUCH
THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR PERSPECTIVE.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO IN COMMUNITY.
NEXT AL LLOYD MATTHEW DELEON TO BE FOLLOWED BY MARGARET SAMUEL.
THANK YOU MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, UH, FOR YOUR TIME TODAY AND YOUR SERVICE, HOUSTONIANS EVERY DAY.
MY NAME IS MATTHEW DE, I'M HERE AS A COMMUNITY INNOVATOR, BUT THE REASON I'M HERE IS BECAUSE I, MY VEHICLE WAS TOWED OFF 20TH STREET IN THE HEIGHTS
[01:05:01]
ON MARCH 4TH IN THE PUBLIC PRIVATE RIGHT OF WAY BY SPACE CITY AUTO STORAGE.I REACHED OUT TO ALMOST EVERY CITY HOUSTON DEPARTMENT TO FIGURE OUT HOW I WAS LEGALLY TOWED.
BUT ALL REFUSED TO GIMME A DEFINITE ANSWER WITH A CITY ORDINANCE TO TELL ME WHAT I CAN DO SO I CAN TAKE THIS TO COURT.
I SUBMITTED INFORMATION REQUEST OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT THAT WENT UNANSWERED FOR OVER A MONTH AND ONLY WAS TOLD AFTERWARDS THAT THEY CAN'T HELP ME.
I EVEN ASKED HELP FROM MY COUNCILMAN RAMEY CAYMAN'S OFFICE AND THEIR OFFICE HAS ALSO GIVEN THE RUNAROUND TO EVENTUALLY THEY WASH THEIR HANDS FROM THE SITUATION.
SO IT'S BEEN TWO MONTHS NOW AND I STILL DON'T KNOW IF I WAS LEGALLY TOLD OR NOT, AND I BELIEVE THIS IS A FAILURE ON CITY USE STAFF, BUT THAT'S NOT ALL IN MY RESEARCH.
I FOUND OUT THIS TOW COMPANY HAD EXPIRED PERMITS WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS IS PUTTING WRONG INFORMATION ON THE TOW RECEIPTS TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM TAKING THEM TO COURT AND ALSO USING ANOTHER COMPANY'S NAME AND PERMIT ILLEGALLY TO OPERATE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I TRIED FILING A PLAT WITH HPD, BUT THAT WENT NOWHERE AND ITS COMPANY'S STILL OPERATING RIGHT NOW, ALLOWING TO TOW TOW HOUSTONIANS ILLEGALLY IN THE HEIGHTS.
AND THIS MAKES ME THINK WHAT OTHER COMPANIES ARE DOING THIS ALSO.
THIS IS A SIMPLE PROBLEM THAT CAN BE FIXED EASILY AND I HAVE A SOLUTION TO RENT THIS MAPPING AGAIN, BUT MY KNOWLEDGE ON HPD AUTO DEALER PERMITTING IS LIMITED BECAUSE IT'S BEEN HARD TO GET INFORMATION FROM THEM.
BUT ONE, THE LDL DIVISION SHOULD REQUIRE TOW COMPANIES TO LIST THEIR STATE LICENSING AND THEIR ENTERPRISE DATABASE.
SO WHEN THAT LICENSING EXPIRES, CITY HOUSTON KNOWS ABOUT IT.
SECOND, RETRAIN PUBLIC FACING AUTO DEALER STAFF TO BE MORE HELPFUL WITH TOW VICTIMS WITH TOW REGULATION.
SOME ARE A LITTLE STANDOFFISH.
AND THIRD CITY OF HOUSTON CONSIDER REGULATING TOW SIGNS FOR EACH SIGN HAS AN ID TIED TO A TOW COMPANY AND TOW JUSTIFICATION.
RIGHT NOW IT SEEMS LIKE ANYBODY COULD PUT UP A SIGN AND TOW HOUSTONIANS WITH NO REGULATION ON THE FRONT END.
AGAIN, THIS IS A SIMPLE PROBLEM THAT CAN BE FIXED AND I'M WILLING TO HELP.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS, THANK YOU FOR RAISING THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE.
MY POLICY DIRECTOR BRYCE RANDALL IS GONNA ABOUT TO WALK IN AND HE'D LOVE TO TALK TO YOU AND WE'D LOVE TO HELP YOU FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT.
NEXT MARGARET SAMUEL TO BE FOLLOWED BY A KEITH EDWARDS.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR WHITMEYER COUNCIL.
MY DISTRICT COUNCILWOMAN FROM DISTRICT D, THE DISTRICT OF DIS DESTINATION.
I HAVE GROWN UP IN THIRD WARD.
I'VE BEEN IN THIRD WARD 64 YEARS.
I LIVE ONE BLOCK FROM THE B LODGE BIKE LANES.
I AM AN ALUMNI OF TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, SO I UNDERSTAND THAT TEXAS SOUTHERN HAS EVENTS AND WE DO NOT WANT TO STOP THEM FROM HAVING EVENTS.
BUT THESE BIKE LANES HAVE CREATED A, A DISASTER NOT ONLY FOR US AS RESIDENTS, BUT EVEN FOR THE UNIVERSITY BECAUSE WHEN IT WAS A FOUR LANE HOT FOUR LANE STREET, WE WERE ABLE, THOSE CO THE, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC GOING.
NOW THEY CAN'T BECAUSE EVEN AT HOMECOMING IT WAS A DISASTER.
THEY HAD CARS PARKED IN THE BIKE LANE BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T STOP THEM.
AND THE PROBLEM IS THAT THERE ARE BIKE, UM, BUS PODS THAT WERE PLACED IN THE MIDDLE OF THOSE LANES.
SO THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO.
THE AMBULANCES CANNOT GET AROUND THEM.
AND THE SITUATION THAT I'M AFRAID OF BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN BEING PROACTIVE AND NOT REACTIVE, IS THAT AT ONE OF THESE, DURING ONE OF THESE EVENTS, ONE OF MY NEIGHBORS, IF NOT MYSELF OR SOMEONE, THEIR HOMES ARE GONNA CATCH ON FIRE OR THEY'RE GOING TO BE SICK AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAN'T GET TO US BECAUSE ALL OF THAT TROUBLE THAT HAPPENS ON, BECAUSE OF THE CONGESTION ON
SO WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING DURING HOMECOMING, I WAS OUT THERE DIRECTING TRAFFIC LIKE I WAS THE POLICE.
AND THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR US.
IF YOU GO DOWN TO SCOTT, THE BIKE LANE STOPS IN A DRIVEWAY IN SOMEONE'S DRIVEWAY ACROSS SCOTT.
AND IF YOU WERE TO KEEP RIDING, YOU'RE GOING TO RIDE INTO A DEAD END.
AND IT WILL NEVER BE ANYTHING DOWN THERE BECAUSE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON'S PARKING GARAGE IS THERE.
SO UNLESS THEY BULLDOZE THAT PARKING GARAGE, THEY'LL NEVER BE ANYWHERE.
[01:10:01]
DESIGNED THOSE INTRUSIVE BIKE LANES THEY NEED TO BE TALKED TO AS WELL BECAUSE THEY WERE POORLY DESIGNED.I'VE HAD FRIENDS TO COME INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO COME SEE ME.
THEY RIDE DOWN BLOCK, THEY COME FROM OTHER PARTS OF TOWN AND THEY'RE ASKING MARGARET, WHAT, WHAT ARE THESE? I'VE NEVER SEEN ANY BIKE LANES LIKE THIS.
SO I THANK YOU FOR ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND I CONCLUDE.
HE HAS BEEN VERY, VERY DILIGENT ABOUT THIS, BUT I WANT YOU TO SHARE SOMETHING.
AND HOW MANY NAMES DO YOU HAVE TO DATE ON THAT PETITION? I HAVE APPROXIMATELY 345 NAMES AND A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE WERE NOT ABLE TO COME BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A AGING AREA.
AND ONE THING I DO TAKE, UM, TO HEART IS WHEN I HEAR PEOPLE SAY THAT PEOPLE IN THIRD WARD DON'T HAVE CARS, THAT IS, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THOSE NUMBERS COME FROM, BUT THAT IS SCREWED, SKEWED.
THOSE NUMBERS ARE SKEWED BECAUSE AGAIN, I LIVE FROM WENTWORTH.
IF YOU COME FROM WHERE I LIVE OVER TO MCGREGOR, THERE IS NOT A RESIDENT IN THAT AREA THAT DOES NOT OWN A CAR IF MORE THAN MOST OF THEM HAVE TWO TO THREE CARS 'CAUSE THEY HAVE CHILDREN.
SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHERE THOSE NUMBERS CAME FROM, BUT AGAIN, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS FORCED ON US.
I THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE TIME TO SPEAK.
NEXT, A KEITH EDWARDS TO BE FOLLOWED BY THOMAS DALE.
GOOD AFTERNOON AGAIN, COUNSEL AND MAYOR, IF YOU DON'T MIND, IF I COULD TAKE A QUICK SECOND.
I, I APPRECIATE YOU RECOGNIZING THAT THE COMMUNITY IS IMPORTANT AND THAT THEIR VOICE IS IMPORTANT.
I LIKE FOR THE COMMUNITY TO STAND AND WHAT YOU SEE, WHAT YOU SEE BEHIND ME ARE CONCERNED CITIZENS WHO LEFT THEIR HOUSES TONIGHT STOPPED WATCHING JEOPARDY TO COME DOWN TO THIS MEETING.
THE CURRENT CON UH, CONFIGURATION OF BIKE LANES PLACED ON BLOT STREET BETWEEN SCOTT STREET AND ENNIS HAS CREATED A NUMBER OF INTENTIONAL, UNINTENTIONAL CHALLENGES FOR RESIDENTS AND COMMUTERS ALIKE.
WAS ONCE A FOUR-LANE ROADWAY, SERVING AS A DIRECT EFFICIENT CORRIDOR TO HIGHWAY 2 88 HAS BEEN REDUCED TO ONE LANE ROAD WITH TRAFFIC FLOWING OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS.
EXCHANGE HAS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED CONGESTION, CREATED TRAFFIC DELAYS AND RAISED SAFETY CONCERNS FOR BOTH MOTORISTS AND PEDESTRIANS.
IN ADDITION TO TRAFFIC ISSUES, THE REDESIGN HAS COMPLICATED ESSENTIAL SERVICES SUCH AS WEEKLY GARBAGE COLLECTION WITH LIMITED ROADWAY SPACE AND MADE ROUTINE OPERATIONS MORE DIFFICULT.
THERE ARE ALSO EMERGING, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE CONCERNS, INCLUDING DRAINAGE PROBLEMS IN CERTAIN AREAS WHERE STANDING WATER REMAIN FOR SEVERAL DAYS AF FOLLOWING RAINFALL.
THESE CHALLENGES ARE FURTHER INTENSIFIED DURING PEAK ACTIVITY PERIODS ASSOCIATED WITH TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, INCLUDING CLASS SCHEDULES, TRANSITIONS, HOMECOMING EVENTS, CONCERTS, BASKETBALL GAMES, AND OTHER EVENTS.
DURING THESE TIMES, THE REDUCED ROADWAY CAPACITY STRUGGLES TO ACCOMMODATE INCREASED TRAFFIC VOLUME, EXACERBATING CONGESTION AND LIMITING ACCESSIBILITY FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS.
THIS PROPOSAL DOES NOT, UH, OPPOSE THE CONCEPT OF BIKE LANES OR THE IMPORTANCE OF CYCLE IS SAFETY.
RATHER, IT ADVOCATES FOR A MORE STRATEGIC AND EFFECTIVE PLACEMENT OF BIKE INFRASTRUCTURE IN AREAS WHERE CON, UH, CURRENT BIKE LANES ARE UNDERUTILIZED.
CONSIDERATION SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO RELOCATING THEM TO CORRIDORS WHERE THEY CAN BETTER SERVE THE CYCLISTS, UH, COMMUNITY WITHOUT COMPROMISING VEHICLE FLOW OR PUBLIC SAFETY.
ULTIMATELY THE GOAL IS TO ACHIEVE A BALANCED APPROACH, ONE THAT SUPPORTS, UH, TRANSPORTATION WHILE ALSO ENSURING THE PUBLIC SAFETY, ACCESSIBILITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, THAT SO THAT WE CAN FACILITATE WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN THE COMMUNITY.
I'VE SENT EACH COUNCIL MEMBER ON YESTERDAY PICTURES 'CAUSE I THINK PICTURES HAVE A, UH, SPEAK A THOUSAND WORDS.
IF YOU DID NOT RECEIVE THAT, I HAVE COPIES HERE
[01:15:01]
AND I INVITE ANYONE INTO THE COMMUNITY AND I'LL PERSONALLY ESCORT YOU IN THE TRAFFIC.SO TO SHOW YOU JUST HOW CONGESTED AND HOW, UH, HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR US TO TAKE CARE OF THIS ISSUE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, PASTOR.
I'M WONDERING, HAVE Y'ALL BEEN TO THE COUNTY? OBVIOUSLY IT WAS A COUNTY PROJECT APPROVED BY THE CITY MM-HMM
BUT HAVE YOU MADE SUCH A COMPELLING ARGUMENT BEFORE COMMISSIONER'S COURT? IT'S INTERESTING THAT YOU ASKED ME ABOUT THAT.
WE TRIED TO GET WITH THE COUNTY, THE COUNTY WAS SUPPOSED TO MEET WITH US.
THE COUNTY DID NOT SHOW UP TO THE MEETING THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE AT.
AND THE COUNTY IS A BIG COUNTY.
ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT YOUR COMMISSIONER? ABSOLUTELY.
OUR COMMISSIONER THAT PLACED THEM THERE.
AND I WANT TO ADD, YOU KNOW, THE TRAFFIC IS BAD GOING EAST OR WEST BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE COMING TO TEXAS SOUTHERN AND THEY ARE HAVING TO KINDA U-TURN, TURN TO GO INTO THE PARKING FACILITY AND THAT MEANS THAT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING FROM THE EAST OR THE WEST ARE BEHIND THE TRAFFIC.
AND HE HAS SENT ME COUNTLESS VIDEOS AND YOU KNOW, IT IT IS JUST, IT'S JUST TOO MUCH.
I THANK YOU KNOW THE NEIGHBORS THAT HAVE COME OUT, BUT IT, IT'S, IT'S, IT NEEDS TO GO.
UM, CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, MANY REASONS MAY BE THAT SOMEBODY ELSE DECIDED THEY WANTED TO PUT THEM THERE.
I THINK ARVA HOWARD SPOKE TO THAT IN TERMS OF CONTRACTORS BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT MADE THE MONEY, UH, AT THE EXPENSE OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, UH, PASTOR ABSOLUTELY.
AND, AND NEIGHBORS FOR COMING OUT.
AND AGAIN, WE DO HAVE COPIES FOR YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER, AGAIN, MY NAME IS THOMAS DALE.
AND FOR YOU, I, MYSELF A IS A CYCLIST ENTHUSIAST.
I'M ALSO AN ADVOCATE FOR CLEAN AIR AND WHOLESOME RECREATION.
AND I'M SURE SOME OF THE PLANTERS HAVE SOME OF THESE THOUGHTS IN MIND.
HOWEVER, I THINK IF THEY CAME BACK TO VISIT THE SITUATION ON BLOCK STREET, WHICH IS ONE MILE LONG, THEY WOULD HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION.
LOGIC ON THE EAST END EXTENDS INTO AN INTERSECTION ON SCOTT AND ON THE WEST END IT INTERSECTS ENNIS THAT ONE BLOCK LEADS INTO THOSE TWO MAJOR THOROUGH WEARS.
WHY I HAVE NO ANSWER FOR THAT.
ONE OF THE ASPECTS, IF YOU WOULD COME AND LOOK ON THE RIDERSHIP, THE RIDERSHIP ON BLOCK AT THIS POINT IN TIME IS VERY, VERY LOW.
IN FACT, YOU'LL PROBABLY SEE MORE BIKERS ON THE COLUMBIA GAP TRAIL THAN YOU DO ON THE ACTUAL BIKE LANE.
SO THE UTILITARIAN EFFECT OF THAT BIKE LANE IS DEFEATING ITSELF.
SO THEREFORE, I AM SUGGESTING AND RECOMMENDING, AND HOPEFULLY YOU WILL AGREE THAT WE REMOVE THOSE CURVES SO THAT WE CAN AGAIN, HAVE SAFE TRANSPORTATION ON LOGIC FOR THE SOCIAL SERVICE GROUPS AS WELL AS THE UNIVERSITY ITSELF.
AND AS A COMPROMISE, I WOULD SAY THAT WE COULD REPLACE THOSE CURVES WITH AT LEAST PAINTED LANES SO THE CYCLISTS CAN HAVE THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.
AND I THINK THAT MAY BE THE LAST SPEAKER, UH, REGARDING THE BLO LANES, BUT I HOPE THAT THEY HAVE CONVEYED HOW INCONVENIENT AND HOW UNFAIR THOSE BIKE LANES ARE TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS AND DISCUSS HOW WE CAN BRING A REAL SUBSTANTIVE SOLUTION TO THE COMMUNITY WHO WAS NOT ENGAGED, UH, REGARDING THE ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION OF THOSE BIKE LANES, WHICH I THINK EVERY COMMUNITY SHOULD BE AFFORDED.
I AM NOT ANTIBI LANE, BUT THOSE BIKE LANES ARE, ARE JUST RIDICULOUS.
I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S THE BEST WORD I CAN USE, BUT CERTAINLY NOT ANTIBI LANES.
SO Y'ALL DON'T NEED TO START BOMBARDING MY WHATEVER TO SAY SHE'S AGAINST BIKERS AND SHE, BECAUSE I AM NOT, I'M A BIKER ON OCCASION WHEN MY ELECTRIC BIKE IS WORKING
[01:20:01]
BUT YOU HAVE TO REALLY LOOK AT A COMMUNITY TO SEE IF IT'S ADVANT ADVANTAGEOUS TO THEM AND WHETHER THEY HAVE HAD SUBSTANTIVE ENGAGEMENT AND THEY DID NOT.AND I BELIEVE THAT EVERY COMMUNITY SHOULD BE AFFORDED, UH, A BUY-IN ON THOSE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO IMPACT THEIR MOBILITY.
SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR COMING TODAY.
AND UH, THAT CONCLUDES, UH, THE BIKE LANE SPEAKERS.
CERTAINLY YOU, UH, YOU CAN STAY HERE AS LONG AS YOU CHOOSE.
SOME OF YOU MAY WANT TO GO SO THAT YOU CAN EAT DINNER, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THAT, UH, WE CAN'T DO THAT.
WE ARE GONNA WAIT TO HEAR THE OTHER SPEAKERS, BUT CERTAINLY I THANK YOU AND I SEE SO MANY NEIGHBORS, CLASSMATES, COLLEGE MATES, AND WE ARE GONNA HAVE A GREAT TIME AT OUR REUNION.
I WON'T TELL YOU HOW MANY YEARS BRING BE THAT LONG.
NEXT GRACE REEN TO BE FOLLOWED BY RICHARD VEGA.
I CAME HERE BACK IN FEBRUARY WITH A REQUEST THAT YOU WOULD DO YOUR PART TO ENSURE THE SAFETY AND SECURITY FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY DESERVE.
I WATCHED AS YOU FAME SYMPATHY TO THE ISSUES I SPOKE ABOUT REGARDING THEIR SAFETY AND THE FEAR THAT'S FELT BY EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY.
THE SAFETY OF CHILDREN, ALL CHILDREN, CHILDREN WHO THINK THEY MIGHT NEED TO PROTECT SOMEONE FROM BEING ILLEGALLY KIDNAPPED IF THEY'RE NOT FEARING BEING TAKEN THEMSELVES.
THAT IS, IF THEY AREN'T BUSY PRACTICING SCHOOL SHOOTER DRILLS.
I SAID IN FEBRUARY, WE CANNOT CLAIM TO BE A CITY THAT CELEBRATES AND EMBRACES DIVERSITY WHILE LETTING FAMILIES LIVE IN FEAR BECAUSE OF IT, IT SEEMS YOU DISREGARDED MY STATEMENT AND YOU BENT THE NEED TO GREG ABBOTT INSTEAD OF PROTECTING THE COMMUNITY YOU SWORN OATH TO EVEN AFTER YOU GAVE IN, HE MOVED THE GOALPOST.
SO THE CHILDREN IN THIS CITY WATCHED LEADERS SELL THEM OUT FOR FUNDING INSTEAD OF STANDING UP FOR THEM OR FOR WHAT IS RIGHT.
AND THAT IS WHAT OUR CITY WILL REMEMBER YOU FOR NEXT RICHARD VEGA TO BE FOLLOWED, FOLLOWED BY DANIEL VELOZ.
GOOD EVENING, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR.
UH, I AM UP HERE TO JUST TELL YOU, I ATTENDED A COMMUNITY MEETING IN THE EAST END IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF MAGNOLIA, UH, LAST WEEK WITH COUNCIL MEMBER JOAQUIN AND, AND, UH, JULIAN RAMIREZ.
AND, UH, I'LL JUST SAY THAT THERE WAS AN OVERWHELMING JOY OF EVIDENCE IN SUPPORT OF, UH, THE NAME CHANGE OF, UH, JOE, UH, CHACO REMEZ.
HIS ROOTS ARE RIGHT THERE IN MAGNOLIA.
AND IF YOU KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS THE OLDEST CHICANO NEIGHBORHOOD IN ALL OF THE CITY.
IN FACT, THE VEGAS ARE FROM THERE.
MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER MOVED THERE AND ROOTED HIS FAMILY THERE.
IN FACT, ON THE WAY HERE TONIGHT, I CALLED MY GRANDFATHER, WHO'S 92 YEARS OLD JUST TO TALK TO HIM ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON.
AND I GOT TO TALK TO MY AUNT AS WELL.
AND, UM, I'LL JUST TELL YOU, UH, IT'S, IF YOU GET THE CHANCE AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN HIS STORY AND UNDERSTAND WHO THE MAN WAS, I BELIEVE THAT YOU GUYS WILL MAKE THE DECISION THAT THIS IS THE RIGHT MOVE.
WHEN WE REMOVE CESAR CHALEY STREET TO JOE CHAPPEL RAMIREZ, IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE NEXT GENERATION ARE ABLE TO SEE THE HEROES OF OUR OWN COMMUNITY, PEOPLE THAT THEY CAN LEAD AND FOLLOW AFTER.
AND I, I'LL SAY THIS, I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN LEGION POST 4 72, AND I GOT TO SEE THE SHADOW BOX OF, UH, JOE RAMIREZ, AND HE HAS THE FIRST CALVARY DIVISION PATCH IN THERE, AND HE WORE IT ON HIS UNIFORM.
IF YOU GET TO SEE SOME OF THE PICTURES, IT'S THE SAME PATCH THAT I GOT TO WEAR.
IT'S THE SAME PATCH THAT I GOT TO SERVE UNDER.
AND MEN LIKE HIM ARE VERY RARE.
THERE'S A MOTTO IN THE DIVISION IN WHICH WE SERVED UNDER, AND IT'S CALLED LIVE THE LEGEND.
AND HE ABSOLUTELY LIVED THAT LEGEND.
HE CAME HOME AND HE SERVED THE COMMUNITY.
HE LOVED HOUSTON, HE LOVED PEOPLE, HE CONTINUED TO SO SOW BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY ALL THE WAY TO HIS LAST BREATH.
AND THAT IS A LEADER IN WHICH WE AS THE COMMUNITY WOULD BE PROUDLY TO STAND BEHIND.
THANK YOU PASTOR FOR YOUR REMARKS.
[01:25:01]
YOUR, YOUR, YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT.AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AS WELL.
NEXT, DANIEL VELOZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY MELISSA GALLEGOS OF FRENCHWOOD.
GOOD EVENING, CITY COUNCIL MAYOR WHITMEYER.
JOAQUIN, ARE WE SPEAKING TO THE MICROPHONE? OH YEAH.
MY NAME IS DANIEL VELOS AND I AM THE GREAT NEPHEW OF JOE RAMIREZ.
JOE RAMIREZ, UH, THE CHACO AS AS WE KNOW HIM.
UM, I'M ON, I'M HERE ON, UM, BEHALF OF MY FAMILY, THE GALL EAGLES FAMILY AND THE RAMIREZ FAMILY.
AND I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU A STORY ABOUT HIM.
AND SO YOU KNOW, HOW HE'S IMPACTING OUR COMMUNITY OR COMMUNITY, EXCUSE ME.
SO THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW, HE WAS, UH, HELD CAPTIVE IN NORTH KOREA FOR 33 MONTHS, AND WHEN THEY FOUND HIM, HE WAS A LITTLE OVER 80 POUNDS.
AND WITH THOSE OF YOU DON'T THAT DON'T KNOW, MY GRANDMOTHER, OLD GUY GALLEGOS, WHO WAS THE MOTHER OF SENATOR MARIO GALLEGOS, WHO YOU SERVED WITH IN THE SENATE, AND I KNOW YOU AND HIM GO BACK MANY YEARS, UM, SHE ADVOCATED FOR HIM WHEN SHE WORKED AT THE PENTAGON AND SHE HAPPENED TO FIND A PICTURE OF HIM IN TIME MAGAZINE AND SHE WAS ABLE TO LET THE ARMY KNOW AND THE MILITARY KNOW THAT HE WAS STILL ALIVE.
SO THAT'S DEAR TO OUR FAMILY BECAUSE IT SHOWS THE LEGACY THAT HE LEFT BEHIND.
THAT, THAT NO MATTER WHAT WE'RE HERE TO, TO FIGHT FOR OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR FAMILY AND OUR, AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD 'CAUSE OF WHAT HE DID.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO SAY THAT THIS PAST WEEK THERE WAS A MEETING AT THE AMERICAN LEGION.
JOAQUIN WAS THERE, AND EVERYBODY WAS SPEAKING ABOUT WHO THEY SHOULD NAME THE STREET AFTER.
AND WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, THERE WAS MANY PEOPLE THERE THAT WERE VERY HONORABLE TO THE COMMUNITY.
BUT I FELT THE IMPACT MORE SO FOR JOE BECAUSE AT THE VERY END OF THAT MEETING, JOAQUIN WAS THERE AS A WITNESS.
MY SON, WHO'S 13 YEARS OLD, GOT UP AND HE SPOKE ABOUT HIS GREAT GREAT UNCLE.
AND TO ME THAT'S THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WHAT LEGACY DOES, IS THAT IT GENERA IT, IT INFLUENCES IT GENERATIONS TO COME.
RIGHT? AND MY SON, 13 YEARS OLD, KNOWS ABOUT HIS GREAT GREATUNCLE SO MUCH THAT HE WAS WILLING TO GO UP THERE AND SPEAK IN FRONT OF COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND THAT IS WHAT A DIFFERENCE MAKER DOES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO CONVEY THAT TO YOU ALL TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A, UM, WHAT I FEEL IS IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
AND, UM, ALSO I WANTED TO SAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, LEGACY THAT WE LEAVE BEHIND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS GONNA REMEMBER WHEN THEY DRIVE DOWN THAT STREET AND THEY SEE JOE RAMIREZ, THEY'RE GONNA KNOW HIS STORY AND THEY'RE GONNA KNOW THEY WILL TO FIGHT AND, AND TO, UM, YOU KNOW, GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
NEXT, MELISSA GALLEGOS OF FRIENDSWOOD TO BE FOLLOWED BY DIANA CHAMBERS.
I MAYOR CITY COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
UM, THIS IS JOE CHACOS, RAMIREZ'S FAMILY FROM MAGNOLIA PARK.
THIS WAS TAKEN AT HI DOGGO PARK AT THE GAZEBO.
UH, MASTER SERGEANT JOE LIO CHACO RAMIREZ.
RAMIREZ WAS BORN TO ISABEL AND LIO RAMIREZ.
THEY MOVED TO HOUSTON IN 1911.
SO WE'VE BEEN HERE SINCE 1911, OUR FAMILY, AND WHILE MASTER SERGEANT WENT THROUGH A LOT, AND HE WAS A VERY BIG HERO, UM, THE POINT THAT I WANTED TO BRING WAS THAT HE NEVER LEFT HIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
HE NEVER LEFT THAT NEIGHBORHOOD EVEN WHEN HE WAS IN 33 MONTHS ENCAMPMENT, HIS HEART WAS IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND EVEN WHEN THE MILITARY SENT HIM TO KANSAS, WHEN HE CAME BACK, HE CAME BACK TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD MAGNOLIA PARK.
I JUST WANTED TO LET Y'ALL KNOW THAT EVEN RENAMING THAT
[01:30:01]
STREET AFTER SOMEBODY ELSE, THEY WOULD NOT BE FROM THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.HE LIVED IN THE SAME HOUSE FOR SO MANY YEARS, RAISED CHILDREN, HE WAS A THEO TO ALL OF US.
TO MY DAD, LATE SENATOR MARIO GALLEGOS.
HE INSPIRED THESE PEOPLE TO LIVE LIFE BECAUSE THAT 33 MONTHS HE THOUGHT HE WASN'T GONNA MAKE IT BACK.
AND BY THE POWER PRAYER, BY HIS SISTERS, HIS MANY, MANY SISTERS AND HIS MOTHER WHO WALKED EVERY DAY FROM AVENUE L TO IMMACULATE HEART AND WALKED, SHE WALKED.
AND YOU, YOU CAN ASK PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY SAW HER WALK EVERY DAY TO PRAY FOR HIM.
SO BY THE POWER OF PRAYER, UM, I JUST WANT TO PLEASE CONSIDER RENAMING CAESAR CHAVEZ TO MASTER SERGEANT JOE CHACO RAMIREZ FOR FAMILY, FOR HIS FAMILY, SO THAT THE LEGACY CAN CARRY ON AND THAT, LIKE ME, WHEN I WAS LITTLE, I LOOKED UP RIO GARCIA.
I LOOKED IT UP AND I SAW WHAT A POWERFUL, YOU KNOW, PERSON HE WAS.
AND HOPEFULLY OTHER LITTLE BOYS AND GIRLS CAN SEE JOE RAMIREZ'S NAME.
GO AHEAD OR FINISH, TAKE YOUR TIME.
THEY CAN SEE HIS NAME AND LOOK HIM UP AND BE INSPIRED, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE HE HE WAS INSPIRATIONAL.
ROSALYN BLAKE TO BE FOLLOWED BY LOYOLA CORNETT.
WILL YOU STAND BEHIND ONE OF THOSE MICS? STAND BEHIND THE MIC, EITHER ONE.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT B AND I'VE LIVED IN THE FIFTH WARD NEIGHBORHOOD FOR 30 YEARS.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON A NEED FOR PEOPLE'S BUDGET IN HOUSTON SO THAT MY NEIGHBORHOOD CAN BE SAFE FROM FLOODING WITHOUT CUTTING FLOODING FOR PARKS, LIBRARIES, AND PUBLIC HEALTH.
IT IS ABSOLUTELY WRONG THAT MY NEIGHBORS HAVE BEEN SUFFERING FROM FLOODING THAT ONLY GETS WORSE YEAR BY YEAR.
CITY OFFICIALS PROMISE US DRAINAGE PROJECTS AND WE ARE STILL WAITING.
HOW ARE THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN OUR CITY'S BUDGET BEING SPENT, IF NOT TO KEEP US SAFE AND TO KEEP FAMILIES WHO HAVE LIVED HERE FOR GENERATION AFTER GENERATION FROM HAVING TO MOVE.
WE KNOW THE MONEY IS THERE, IT'S ABOUT HOW Y'ALL ARE CHOOSING TO SPEND IT.
AND SO FAR IT HASN'T BEEN ON US OR FOR US.
I YIELD TELL ME YOUR NAME AGAIN.
LOYOLA CORNETT TO BE FOLLOWED BY HAVEN BELL.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT OUR CITY BUDGET.
THE PEOPLE'S BUDGET IS AN EXTENSION OF YEARS OF SHOWING UP EACH YEAR TO CITY HALL TO FIGHT FOR A BETTER BUDGET.
ONE THAT PRIORITIZES RESIDENTS AND NOT JUST THE BARE MINIMUM THE CITY CAN DO, BUT THE THINGS THAT MAKE OUR LIVES AND THE CITY BETTER.
IN THE MIDST OF AN AFFORDABILITY CRISIS, A CITY AS RESOURCES RICH AS HOUSTON SHOULD NOT HAVE THE NATION'S HIGHEST RATE OF PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT SHOULD NOT BE CUTTING ITS SERVICES OR INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS IN THE SLIGHTEST.
AND SO OUR DEMANDS AS THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY ARE QUITE CLEAR.
WE DEMAND THAT YOU PREVENT FLOODING BY FULLY SPENDING DRAINAGE, FUNDING, INCREASE
[01:35:01]
FROM SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, STRENGTHEN FLOOD PREVENTION AND PUBLIC TRUST BY PROTECTING ALL STORM WATER FUNDING FOR FUTURE DIVERSIONS.PREVENT FLOODING BY FULLY FUNDING THE DITCH REESTABLISHMENT PROGRAM.
STRENGTHEN CITY SERVICES BY KEEPING THEM PUBLICLY OWNED, ACCOUNTABLE, AND FREE FROM PRIVATIZATION.
WHEN PROFIT BECOMES A PRIORITY, QUALITY AND THE PUBLIC SUFFER, STRENGTHEN OUR CITY BY FIGHTING FOR HIGH QUALITY SERVICES.
REMOVAL OF HIRING FREEZES AND NO COMPROMISES ON WORKER SAFETY, INCLUDING FULLY STAFFING PUBLIC WORKS, DECREASING DEFERRED MAINTENANCE AND RESTORING EXPERTISE LOSS THROUGH EARLY RETIREMENT BUYOUTS AND JOB CUTS, AND STRENGTHEN OUR SOCIAL FABRIC BY OPPOSING JOB CUTS AND CUTS TO ESSENTIAL SERVICES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
AND I ALSO WANTED TO, UM, ASK YOU DID HAVE, YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE OUR, UH, YOUR 2 CENTS SURVEY THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN PUTS OUT.
UM, WE'D LOVE TO ACTUALLY HAVE THAT IN THE SURVEY AS WELL.
YOU MADE SOME GREAT POINTS TODAY.
NEXT SPEAKER HAVEN BELL HAVEN BELL TO BE FOLLOWED BY TAYLOR BROWN.
HELLO, UM, I'M CURRENTLY LIVING IN DISTRICT I, AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT FUNDING FOR FLOODING INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE NEED FOR A BUDGET THAT ACTUALLY REPRESENTS THE NEEDS OF HOUSTONIANS.
UM, IN THE SHORT TIME I'VE LIVED HERE, I'VE BEEN SHOCKED BY THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE LACK OF INVESTMENT IN IT.
IT RAINS A LOT HERE, UM, WHICH IS NOT A SHOCK.
IT'S A MATTER OF LOCATION, THOUGH THIS WILL ONLY GET WORSE IN THE YEARS TO COME AND FLOODING, UM, WILL GET WORSE AS WELL.
I'VE LEARNED VERY QUICKLY THAT PEOPLE AND FAMILIES WHO HAVE LIVED HERE FOR DECADES HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR, UH, FIGHTING OVER AND OVER FOR INVESTMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WOULD MEET THEIR CONCERNS AND HELP THEM KEEP THEIR FAMILIES AND LOVED ONES SAFE.
UM, THE COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN CONSISTENTLY IGNORED IN ORDER, UH, IN FAVOR OF WHAT THE CITY SEEMS TO THINK IS CONSIDERED PUBLIC SAFETY.
THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE AND COMMUNITIES AROUND THE CITY HAVE BEEN TELLING THE COUNCIL FOR YEARS THAT PUBLIC SAFETY IS MORE THAN POLICE, AND THE RECENT PUBLIC SERVICES AND EMPLOYMENT CUTS TO ESSENTIAL SERVICES, UM, AND PUBLIC WORKS WILL ONLY MAKE LIVES HARDER FOR THOSE IMPACTED BY FLOODING THE MOST.
UM, IN JUST ONE WEEK, THE MAYOR'S, UH, BUDGET WILL BE RELEASED AND IT'S, UH, IT IS CITY'S COUNCIL, CITY COUNCIL'S RESPONSIBILITY, UM, TO, UH, LISTEN TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS, THE EXPERT IN THIS COMMUNITY, UM, WHEN THEY TELL YOU WHAT THEY WANT AND NEED, UM, AND TO KEEP THEIR HOMES SAFE.
FOR ANYONE WHO'S HERE, WHO'S INTERESTED, PLEASE COME TALK TO ONE OF US TO GET PLUGGED IN.
TAYLOR BROWN TO BE FOLLOWED BY BONNIE AUSTIN WHITLEY.
I'M A CURRENT RESIDENT OF DISTRICT K, BUT I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN DISTRICT H.
I'M HERE TODAY TO BACK UP, UH, FELLOW PEOPLE.
I'M A MEMBER, I'M A NURSE IN THE COMMUNITY.
I ALSO AM A MEMBER OF HOUSTON, DSA AND I'M ALSO, BUT TONIGHT I'M SPECIFICALLY HERE TO TALK ABOUT, UM, FLOODING INFRASTRUCTURE GENERAL BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE CITY.
UM, SO AS SOMEONE WHO GREW UP IN DISTRICT H IN WILLOW RUN OUTSIDE OF AKERS HOMES, UM, I'VE SEEN BOTH FROM A PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE OF, UM, MY GRANDPARENTS' HOUSE OF, EVEN AS A CHILD, THERE WERE ISSUES WITH DRAINAGE AND THE FLOODING.
ANYTIME IT WOULD RAIN FOR LONGER THAN 30 MINUTES, IT WAS GUARANTEED THAT AT LEAST HALF YOUR YARD USING IT, THE GROWN TREE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YARD, YOU COULD WATCH THE FLOODING RISE HOUR BY HOUR IF IT CONTINUED TO RAIN.
HURRICANES WERE ANOTHER MATTER ALTOGETHER.
THAT PROBLEM HAS ONLY CONTINUED TO WORSEN OVER THE YEARS WITH NOW, UM, WITH THE MOST RECENT HURRICANE THAT THE WATER GOT AS CLOSE AS A YARD FROM THE FRONT DOOR.
UM, THIS HOUSE WAS NOT JUST MY GRAND GRANDPARENTS' HOUSE, BUT IT REPRESENTS THE ONLY EQUITY THAT MY FAMILY OWNS.
IT REPRESENT REPRESENTS GENERATIONAL WEALTH IN TERMS OF THINGS THAT ARE BEEN PASSED DOWN, NOT JUST FROM MY PARENTS, BUT REPRESENTS EQUITY THAT THE FAMILY CAN THEN HAVE AS A PLACE OF VALUE.
ANYTIME THAT THERE IS A MAJOR STORM AND THERE'S DAMAGE, IT IS NOT JUST OUR HOUSE THAT IS DAMAGED.
YOU'RE TALKING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF OTHER HOMES THAT THEN WITH THE COST OF THINGS RISING WITH THE COST OF, OH, NOW YOU HAVE A HUNDRED PEOPLE ASKING TO HAVE THEIR ROOF REPAIRED, IS THE PRICE OF THAT GOING TO REMAIN THE SAME? NO, IT CONTINUES TO RISE EVERY STORM.
IT GETS MORE EXPENSIVE AND THESE ISSUES CAN BE ADDRESSED FAR CHEAPER IF WE WERE TO ADDRESS THEM PROACTIVELY BY DEALING WITH FLOOD FLOODING INFRASTRUCTURE, DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE, AND EVEN ALLOCATING SOME OF THE FUNDS THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE WERE TO FULLY FUND THE DITCH REESTABLISHMENT PROGRAM, $45 MILLION, WHICH SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY UNLESS YOU COMPARE IT TO THE HPD BUDGET, UM, THAT IF I WERE TO GIVE A QUOTE OF $850 MILLION, THEIR
[01:40:01]
BUDGET IS MORE THAN THAT.5% OF THAT IS $45 BILLION, 5% OF THEIR BUDGET COULD FULLY FUND TO BUILD DITCHES IN THE CITY TO ADDRESS THE DRAINAGE ISSUES THAT HAVE EXISTED SINCE BEFORE I WAS BORN.
UM, THESE ARE THINGS THAT IN TERMS OF FULLY INVESTING IN PUBLIC WORKS, NOT JUST IN SPECIFIC PROJECTS, BUT IN ACTUAL PEOPLE WHO CAN THEN MAKE THEIR LIVELIHOOD AS CITY EMPLOYEES TO THEN GIVE BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITIES.
THEY LIVE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, THEY SHOULD WORK IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
AND THOSE POSITIONS AS PEOPLE RETIRE, SHOULD THEN GO TO THE NEXT GENERATION.
INSTEAD OF US HAVING BUDGET CUSS THAT CAUSES PEOPLE TO THOSE POSITIONS NO LONGER EXIST.
SO THE JOBS THAT NO LONGER EXIST THAT DO NOT CREATE THE GENERATIONAL WEALTH THAT WE SHOULD HAVE IN THIS CITY.
WE DO HAVE A VERY WEALTHY CITY, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A LARGE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN POVERTY IN THIS CITY.
UM, I NO LONGER LIVE IN DISTRICT H BECAUSE THE COMMUTE FROM THAT TO WORK 8 45, UM, THE COMMUTE FROM THERE TO WORK WAS UNREASONABLE.
BUT ALSO EVERY TIME IT RAINS, IT FLOWS.
I CHOSE TO PAY MORE TO LIVE IN AN APARTMENT THAT'S ON THE SECOND FLOOR BECAUSE I KNOW AT LEAST WHEN IT RAINS, I SHOULD ONLY LOSE POWER.
I AT LEAST I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MY THINGS BEING RUINED.
UM, WE NEED TO INVEST IN PUBLIC WORKS.
WE NEED TO REPLACE THE STAFF THAT HAVE BEEN, UM, TAKEN AWAY, WHICH WOULD DECREASE UNDER AND UNEMPLOYMENT IN THIS CITY AND INVESTED IN PEOPLE THAT KEEP THE CITY FUNCTIONING, BE IT SANITATION, BE IT SALT WASTE, EVERYTHING THAT IS ENCOMPASSING FLOOD MATTERS.
UM, I THINK THAT THIS SHOULD BE PRIORITY INSTEAD OF JUST GIVING A INCREASING BUDGET TO HPD, LET'S PUT THAT MONEY INTO MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING TO PUBLIC WORKS.
HAVE THEM BE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES INSTEAD OF PRIVATE.
MAYOR PER MAYOR, PER THANK YOU MS. BROWN FOR BEING HERE.
I I HEARD YOU SAY THAT YOU CURRENTLY LIVE IN DISTRICT EIGHT.
WANTED TO, UM, JUST PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGE YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY.
WE'VE MET WITH THE, UM, NOT GROUP LAST WEEK, HEARD THEIR CONCERNS, BUT I ALSO WANT TO ASK IF YOU WOULD, UM, PUT YOUR CONCERNS IN THE 2 CENTS SURVEY AS WELL.
UM, OUR CHAIR OF BFA, UM, IS HOSTING THAT, UH, SURVEY ALONG WITH THE KINDER INSTITUTE, AND WE USE THAT DATA, UM, ALSO WHEN WE ARE MAKING OUR DECISIONS IN OUR BUDGET PROCESS.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU FOR ADVOCATING OF COURSE, UM, FOR, UM, YOUR CONCERNS AND YOUR GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE.
AND, UM, WE'LL DO WHAT WE CAN TO MAKE SURE WE TRY TO PROTECT THOSE INVESTMENTS.
NEXT BONNIE AUSTIN WHITLEY TO BE FOLLOWED BY IRA TARIQ OF HUMBLE.
UM, MY NAME IS BONNIE WHITLEY AUSTIN WHITLEY.
I WORK WITH, UH, CHILDREN HOMELESS.
UM, I DO WHATEVER I NEED TO DO FOR MY COMMUNITY.
I'M HERE IN WITH NAC BECAUSE WE NEED HELP.
WE NEED THESE DITCHES DUG OUT.
WE NEED THESE WIRES,
WE NEED THESE, UM, OVERGROWTH AREAS TAKEN CARE OF BECAUSE IT ALSO HELPS THE FLOODING.
WE ALSO NEED FOR THE MONIES THAT WERE ALLOCATED FOR ALL OF THESE TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.
WE ARE IN GREAT NEED FOR SOME HELP.
I HAVE LIVED HERE IN HOUSTON SINCE 1967, UM, ON BERTRAND STREET, AND IT WAS LIKE A LITTLE COUNTRY.
NOW THERE ARE MULTIPLE PEOPLE LIVING IN THERE, AND THAT MEANS THAT THERE'S MORE WATER THAT'S STARTING TO SEEP INTO THE COMMUNITIES UNDER THE HOUSES FLOODING, UM, IS OVERWHELMING SOMETIMES.
I REMEMBER WHEN I WOKE UP ONE DAY AND I PUT MY FEET ON THE FLOOR AND THERE WAS NO FLOOR, THERE WAS WATER UP TO MY ANKLE.
AS I, THROUGH THE WATER, I AND MY HUSBAND WALKED OUTSIDE TO LOOK AT OUR YARD.
WE COULD NOT SEE OUR CAR, THEREFORE OUR CAR FLOODED.
BUT THE WORST THING THAT WE SEEN WAS ELDERLY PEOPLE BEING FLOATED ON MAKESHIFT RAFTS.
WE ALSO SEEN THAT SAME RAF START, UM, SEEPING AND THE ELDERLY BEING TRAUMATIZED.
WE WORKED TO PUT THEM ON MAKESHIFT CHILDREN'S POOLS TO, TO GET THEM TO WHERE THEY COULD, UH, BE HELPED.
OUR CHURCHES WERE OPEN, OUR HOMES WERE OPEN.
UM, ONE YOUNG MAN WITH THEIR HIS FIRST GENERATION WAS GOING TO COLLEGE.
HE THEY HADN'T, THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT THEY HAD
[01:45:01]
TO BUY FLOOD INSURANCE WITH INSURANCE, SO EVERYTHING CAME OUT OF THEIR POCKETS.HE'S, HE LATER DID GO TO COLLEGE AND HE'S RIGHT NOW IS AN ACTIVIST ALSO.
MY THING IS THAT WE KNOW THAT 45 THOU, 45 5 MILLION WAS GIVEN FOR THE, UM, THE DITCH IN ES ESTABLISHMENT PROGRAM.
WE ASKED YOU TO, UH, INVEST IN PEOPLE WORKING IN THE CITY BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE COULD HELP IN NUMEROUS WAYS.
WE HAVE PLACES ON PARKER THAT HAS CAM HAVE CAMERAS, BUT THERE'S TRASH THERE.
WATER IS, UH, WATER IS SITTING THERE.
WE HAVE ANIMALS THAT, UH, ARE NOT, UM, LICENSED.
WE, WE FULLY, WE JUST WANT YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
WERE PEOPLE THAT, UH, WILL DO OUR BEST TO DO THE BEST FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
NEXT IRA TARIQ OF HUMBLE TO BE FOLLOWED BY MATTHEW.
HELLO, MY NAME IS IRA AND I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT E IN WHICH MY FAMILY AND I HAVE SUB BEEN SUBJECTED TO FLOODING DISASTERS MULTIPLE TIMES.
OUR STREETS WOULD FLOOD EVERY TIME THERE WAS A STORM, FILLING OUR WALLS WITH WATER AND CAUSING BLACK MOLD TO FORM THROUGHOUT OUR HOUSE'S INFRASTRUCTURE THAT HAS CAUSED PERMANENT RESPIRATORY ISSUES AND NEUROLOGICAL IMPAIRMENTS.
HURRICANE HARVEY IS JUST ONE OF THE MANY DISASTERS THAT HAS CAUSED IRREPARABLE DAMAGE TO OUR HOUSE AND TO OUR FAMILY.
AND I STAND HERE TODAY AS A FLOOD SURVIVOR FROM 2017, AND I STILL STAND HERE TODAY, A DECADE LATER FOR THE SAME ISSUE.
WHY HAS THIS NOT BEEN FIXED? A FLOODED HOME IS NOT A NATURAL DISASTER.
IT IS SAID THAT PUBLIC WORKS DOES NOT HAVE THE STAFFING TO SPEND DOWN ON ALL OF THE ALLOCATED MONEY FOR THE DITCH REESTABLISHMENT PROGRAM.
IT WAS SET ON RECORD THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE THE STAFF PARTIALLY DUE TO LAST YEAR'S 10% DEPARTMENT CUTS AND EARLY RETIREMENT BUYOUTS IN WHICH PUBLIC WORKS LOST THE MOST EMPLOYEES.
SOLID WASTE IS LACKING RESOURCES THE PARKS AND LIBRARIES ARE FOR ARE, ARE FACING FURTHER CUTS.
THIS YEAR, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN SEVERELY CUT AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL IN THE CITY, I'M SURE WILL FORCE THEM TO CUT THEIR BUDGET BUDGET EVEN FURTHER.
THESE, THESE ARE, SORRY, THESE MEASURES ARE NOT HOW OUR COMMUNITIES WILL SURVIVE NORTH THRIVE.
IT IS BLATANT, BLATANTLY LOOKS LIKE A LACK OF CARE FOR THEIR WORKING CLASS.
HPD IS NOT THE ONLY DEPARTMENT THAT NEEDS FUNDING.
WE THE PEOPLE THAT YOU SERVE DEMAND TO PROTECT OUR SO SOCIAL SERVICES PROVIDE BASIC CITY FUNCTIONS AND STOP FAILING CITY RESIDENTS ON PURPOSE.
THIS IS A BUDGET THAT IS A MATTER OF OUR SURVIVAL.
IT IS A MATTER OF LITERALLY FIGHTING FOR OUR LIVES.
I WILL END THIS SPEECH BY ASKING YOU ALL A QUESTION, WHOSE FAULT WILL IT BE WHEN THE NEXT HOUSTONIAN DIES FROM A FLOOD? NEXT MATTHEW GRAFF TO BE FOLLOWED BY JAY BUSTOS.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
I JUST WANNA BEGIN BY SAYING THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THIS EVENING.
I WANNA COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL WITH SOME CONCERNS REGARDING, UH, RECENT CITY COUNCIL ORDINANCE PAST, UH, WHICH HAS TO DO WITH HPDS COOPERATION WITH IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES.
THE FIRST THING THAT I WANNA TALK ABOUT IN THIS IS, I KNOW THIS IS A HIGHLY POLITICAL ISSUE AND I UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE HAVE STRONG OPINIONS.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES THE CITY GREAT, IS OUR ABILITY TO FIGHT FOR JUSTICE AND RIGHT, BUT I THINK WHAT'S BEING LOST IN THIS IS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO MAKE CLEAR THAT INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE THE POTENTIAL VICTIMS OF CRIME SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID TO CONTACT LAW ENFORCEMENT.
NOW, THERE ARE THREE REASONS WHY.
FIRST, UH, THE EXPLICIT STATEMENTS OF TOM HOMAN WHO INDICATED THAT IMMIGRATIONS AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT IS FOCUSING ON THE DEFENDANT IN THESE MATTERS.
THAT'S THE DEFENDANT OVER WHICH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS, UH, JURISDICTION AT THAT TIME.
SECOND VICTIMS AND WITNESSES ARE NOT SUBJECT TO LAW ENFORCEMENT SCREENING.
[01:50:01]
STATUS IS NOT AT QUESTION.THIRD, FEDERAL LAW INDICATES THAT THERE IS A SPACE TO PROTECT PEOPLE EVEN WHO HAVE, UH, ISSUES WITH STATUS.
A U VISA IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO COOPERATE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT TO GAIN STATUS.
UH, AS A RESULT OF THAT INVESTIGATION, FEDERAL LAW HAS MADE SPACE FOR INDIVIDUALS TO WORK.
THE BIGGEST MOST IMPORTANT THING HERE IS THAT PEOPLE NEED TO FEEL SAFE CONTACTING LAW ENFORCEMENT.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S A CLEAR STATEMENT THAT THE CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO MAKE.
SECOND, UM, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT IS THE FUNCTION OF THE CITY.
UH, BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT ARE NOT THE FUNCTION OF THE CITY.
FEDERAL LAW WILL ALWAYS PREEMPT.
AND THERE'S A BIT OF SPEAKING OUT OF BOTH SIDES OF, OF THE MOUTH HERE IN THIS LEGISLATION WHERE WE WANT TO INCLUDE INFORMATION THAT THINGS SHOULD NOT BE INTERPRETED TO VIOLATE THE LAW.
AND YET AT THE SAME TIME, WE INCLUDE THINGS WHICH MAY IN ENACT INACTION, VIOLATE THE LAW.
AND I THINK THE BIGGEST INDICATOR OR SEPARATOR BETWEEN WHAT'S BEEN PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IN HOUSTON AND WHAT'S BEEN PASSED IN SAN ANTONIO, AUSTIN AND DALLAS, IS THE MANDATE OF NON-COMPLIANCE IN DALLAS.
THIS IS A GENERAL RULE ABOUT ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANTS IN AUSTIN, SAN ANTONIO.
THIS IS LEFT TO THE DISCRETION OF THE OFFICER.
AND THIS ALONGSIDE THE INCREDIBLY ONEROUS REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
WHAT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, WHEN AN OFFICER MAKES AN INVESTIGATION, HE'S NOT JUST INVESTIGATING SOMEONE'S IMMIGRATION STATUS, IT'S ANY GENERAL INVESTIGATION.
AND SO ALMOST EVERY INVESTIGATION THAT'S DONE BY A POLICE OFFICER WILL FALL UNDER THE STANDARD.
AND NOW YOU'RE ASKING POLICE OFFICERS TO COLLECT A LOT MORE INFORMATION.
NEXT, JAY BUSTOS TO BE FOLLOWED BY HERMAN HENRY.
UH, I AM YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSTONIAN.
AND FIRST OFF, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK, UH, THE FOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE CONTINUING THE SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, TO FIGHT AGAINST ICE SALINAS LAR THOMAS CAYMAN.
UH, AS FOR MAYOR WHITMEYER AND THE REST OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAD INITIALLY VOTED YES AND THEN VOTED NO FOR THIS NEW REVISED ORDINANCE, UH, UH, PASSINGS, WHAT WAS THE POINT OF VOTING? YES, IF YOU WERE GOING TO GO AND CHANGE TO VOTE? NO.
ABBOTT AND HIS ADMINISTRATIONS WERE ALWAYS GOING TO PULL OFF THIS MOVE OR THIS LITTLE STUN.
THERE WAS ALWAYS GONNA BE THAT CHANCE THAT THEY'RE CONSTANTLY PLAYING CHESS MOVES WITH THEIR POWERS OF CORRUPTION, OF COURSE, THAT THEY HAVE MADE THE STANCE THAT THEY DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT.
WELL, PEOPLE AS WELL AS, UH, REALLY THE HOUSTON RESIDENTS, THEY ARE JUST OUT TO, UH, DISPLAY THEIR POWER OF CONTROL.
THEY'RE JUST WANTING TO DISPLAY THEIR CONTROL OVER TEXAS.
THE HOUSTON IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CITIES OF DIVERSITY.
IT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CITIES THAT SHOWS OR STANDS WITHIN TEXAS OF BEING A CITY THAT PROV, UH, CAN PROVIDE OR SHOW POSITIVE CHANGE FOR TEXAS.
I ASK Y'ALL, IS HOUSTON NOT WORTH DEFENDING? IS IT NOT WORTH FIGHTING FOR THE CITY? YOU CAN ASK YOUR CONSTITUENTS, YOU CAN ASK THE RESIDENTS HERE.
THIS WE ARE ASKING JUST, UH, CONTINUING TO FIGHT TO ONE, BRING BACK THE ORIGINAL, UH, UM, ORDINANCE THAT Y'ALL WERE, UH, PLACING WITHOUT THE REVISEMENT TWO.
OR AT THE VERY LEAST, PROBABLY CONTINUE THE FIGHT MAYBE AS TO, UH, ENDING NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS.
DO SOMETHING TO CONTINUE THE FIGHT AGAINST WHAT ICE IS STANDING FOR.
WE WANT TO SHOW THAT WE ARE FIGHTING FOR OUR RESIDENTS HERE.
WE WANNA SHOW THAT WE STAND WITH HOUSTON, BUT US INCHING OR BACKING OFF, JUST BECAUSE ABBOTT HAS SAYS, UH, THAT THEY'RE WANTING TO PLAY CHICKEN WITH FUNDING AND STUFF.
I GET THE UNDERSTANDING THAT PUBLIC SAFETY, THE FUNDS TOWARDS PUBLIC SAFETY IS IMPORTANT.
YES, BUT STILL, Y'ALL, Y'ALL HAVE MANY MEMBERS WHO
[01:55:01]
ARE WELL ADVISED WITHIN THE LAW.NEXT HERMAN HENRY TO BE FOLLOWED BY LEE MERCER.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT G, BUT MY CHURCH IS IN DISTRICT K AND I USED TO LIVE IN DISTRICT D.
I'M A NEIGHBOR AND I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY WITH NO ANGER BUT LOVE AND A VISION THAT I HOPE THAT K AND D CAN BE A PART OF AND HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY ELSE ELSE.
I WANNA BE HONEST WITH Y'ALL TODAY, THAT THE BLACK COMMUNITY HOUSTON IS HURTING, NOT BECAUSE WE'RE WEAK, BUT BECAUSE THE INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT AND SERVE US HAVE SHOWN DOCUMENTED CASES OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT THEY DO NOT.
AN HBD OFFICER WAS SWORN IN 2024 AND WAS RECORDED.
EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT SHE SAID AND WHO SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT.
SHE COMPLETED OVER 16,000 HOURS OF TRAINING DIVERSITY COURSES.
HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISPLACED OVER 90,000 LONG TIME BLACK PROFESSIONALS UNDER ONE ADMINISTRATION.
THEY SETTLED IN DECEMBER, 2025.
I DON'T SHARE THESE FACTS TO DIVIDE ANYBODY.
I SHARE THEM BECAUSE EVERY FAMILY IN THIS ROOM, BLACK, BROWN, WHITE, ASIAN, DESERVES AN INSTITUTION WORTHY OF THEIR TRUST.
WHERE THERE IS A WOUND, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO HEAL A MINISTRY.
I'M NOW GOING TO EMPOWER TO OVERCOME BY PASTOR ROBERT HIGH.
NOT ONLY IS PASTOR ROBERT HIGH, JR.
I TRAVEL TO ALL YOUR DISTRICTS.
I'VE HELPED SO MANY PEOPLE, SEEN SO MANY DIFFERENT PLACES FROM PASADENA UP AND DOWN THE AREA.
AND ALL I'M SAYING IS THAT BLACK FOLKS IN DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS.
I USED TO LIVE IN SUNNYSIDE, USED TO LIVE, UM, BROOKHAVEN.
AND LIKE I SAID, WHERE OFF OF WESTHEIMER, OH, EXCUSE ME, OFF OF THE BELTWAY AND AIRPORT.
UM, AND I ALSO LIVE IN G LIKE I SAID.
BUT THE MAIN THING IS I'M JUST ASKING THAT SOMEBODY, UH, YOUR CONSTITUENTS OR WHOEVER YOUR SUBORDINATES STOPS BY OUR CHURCH SEES WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE HAVE A PROGRAM IN PLACE WHERE WE WANT TO START, UM, GETTING FOLKS OFF THE STREETS.
IDLE HANDS CAUSES THE DEVIL'S TIME, AS YOU ALL KNOW.
AND THIS, THIS PROBLEM FOR POVERTY AND JUST FOR, UH, THE ISSUES WHERE PEOPLE SEE OUR SKIN TONE AND THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH US IS BECAUSE OF A IMAGE THAT WAS PORTRAYED A LONG TIME AGO.
LIKE I SAID, HE'S A FIRE MARSHAL.
HE'S, UM, WORKED FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UM, AND I WANT TO HELP OUT AND I JUST, I'M LOOKING FOR HELP.
SO I, UM, COUNSEL TATUM AND ALSO MS. CAROLINE, IF Y'ALL CAN HAVE YOUR PEOPLE GET IN CONTACT WITH ME OR SOMETHING.
I REALLY WANT TO HELP MY COMMUNITY, SIR.
THANK YOU MR. HENRY FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
UM, WE SAY THIS ALL THE TIME, THAT GOVERNMENT CAN'T DO THIS WORK ALONE.
WE HAVE TO HAVE PARTNERS AND, UM, FOR YOU TO COME TODAY AND SAY THAT YOU ARE WILLING TO HELP AND YOU ARE LOOKING FOR HELP, UM, OUR OFFICE IS HAPPY TO, UH, VISIT YOUR CHURCH AND SEE WHAT PROGRAMMING YOU HAVE AND HOW WE CAN BE A PARTNER.
UM, WE ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, NEED PARTNERS ON THE GROUND IN, IN OUR DISTRICT.
UM, SO HAPPY TO SIT DOWN AND, AND TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN PARTNER TOGETHER TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY BETTER FOR US ALL.
I'M A FIRE, I'M A, I'M A A FIRE TECHNICIAN AND I WORK ON CONSTRUCTION SITES FOR LOW INCOME, UM, APARTMENTS.
THERE'S MORE THAT, YOU KNOW, I WANNA SEE MORE OF US IN BETTER PLACES.
LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING TO YOU, COUNCILOR EVAN SHIBA.
IS THIS INFORMATION CORRECT THAT'S ON HERE? YOU YOU WANT MY OFFICE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU BOTH? I DO BECAUSE WE'RE NOT TOO FAR.
RIGHT? SO SUNNYSIDE IS NOT THAT FAR.
I, I ACTUALLY, UM, I'M WORKING ON, UH, ORM TAPESTRY OFF OF, UH, TWO EIGHT AND CULLEN.
SO I'M NOT TOO F OKAY, WE'RE NOT 15 MINUTES AWAY.
SO I, I WOULD LIKE, OKAY, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THIS INFORMATION IS CORRECT.
I, I CALLED EARLIER TODAY AND UM, I ALSO CALLED YOUR OFFICE AS WELL.
[02:00:01]
THANK YOU LEE MERCER TO BE FOLLOWED BY SHELTON MODEL.I WAS WAITING UNTIL HE PASSED THE HANDOUTS OUT AM LEE MERCER.
AND I'M COMING FOR CITY COUNCIL TODAY IN REFERENCE TO, UH, CRIME PREVENTION.
I'M TALKING ABOUT CRIME PREVENTION IS WHAT WE NEED IN HOUSTON.
SAID MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER ON APRIL OF 28, 20 26 TO ME, HE SAID HE WILL GIVE ME A MILLION DOLLARS.
I AM TO SAY THAT IN THE MAYOR'S MEETING, APRIL 28TH, 2026, HE'LL HAVE, HAVE HOTWIRE HOOKUP ABILITIES, EVIDENCE, BRING FROM MY UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER, CAMP BULLIS, ARMY, ROTC ACADEMY, CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE, CRIMINAL LAW, CRIME SOLVING, CRIME PREVENTION, AND MY FORENSIC SCIENCE POLICE EDUCATION.
ALSO, UH, SAVE AMERICA AND SAVE A LIFE INTELLIGENCE POLICE PROGRAM, EDUCATION, TALK THROUGH A POLICE SUBPOENA.
EVERYTHING IS EVIDENCE DRIVEN.
HOMICIDE KILLING AND MURDER INTELLIGENCE IS WHAT I DO.
NEXT SHELTON MODELIST TO BE FOLLOWED BY WAN KAWANA.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ABOUT ILLEGAL ALIEN THAT HAS BEEN TERRORIZING ME FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS.
AND MY FIRST QUESTION WOULD BE, IS THIS A FULL CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE TODAY? COUPLE OF ABSENT MM-HMM
THE REASON I ASKED IT BEFORE CITY COUNCIL IS BECAUSE OUR NEXT STEP, WE'LL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE, UH, I'M GONNA SAY THE ILLEGAL JUDICIARY HERE IN HARRIS COUNTY BECAUSE WE CAME HERE 11 MONTHS AGO ABOUT THE SAME SITUATION.
AND MS. EVANS TOLD ME TO GET WITH HER PERSON.
AND 11 MONTHS AGO THAT PERSON DIDN'T RESPOND.
AND WE HAVE STILL BEEN PLAGUED WITH THIS ILLEGAL ALIEN.
AND I BELIEVE HE WORKS ON EITHER THE HARRIS COUNTY OR THE CITY OF HOUSTON PAYROLL BECAUSE ANYTIME I CALL POLICE, NOBODY COME.
BUT WE WERE TERRORIZED DURING THE LAST HURRICANE, UH, BOROUGH.
WE WENT WALMART, DO SOME SHOPPING, COME BACK.
OUR HOUSE WAS SURROUNDED BY 12 POLICE CARS ALL HAVING LONG GUNS AND SHORT PISTOLS POINTED AT THE HOUSE SAYING THAT I REFUSED TO ALLOW THE ENERGY PEOPLE, UH, CENTER POINT.
I REFUSE TO ALLOW CENTER POINT IN TO TURN THE POWER ON.
THE SAME ILLEGAL ALIEN HAD CALLED AND MADE A FALSE POLICE REPORT.
I DROVE UP TO GET TO MY HOUSE AND I WAS HANDCUFFED AND EVERYTHING THESE PEOPLE COULD HAVE BURNT MY HOUSE DOWN SAYING I WAS INSIDE AND DIDN'T COME OUT.
SO WE ARE HERE TODAY TO LET, LET CITY COUNCIL KNOW THAT WE WILL BE GOING FORWARD WITH ANY LAWSUITS NECESSARY TO GET THIS PERSON OUTTA OUR COMMUNITY.
I WILL GIVE WITH MY STAFF TO FIND OUT WHAT, WHAT THE STATUS OF THIS IS AND FIND OUT, UH,
[02:05:01]
IF WHY THEY DID NOT REACH BACK TO YOU OR WHETHER THEY DID AND WEREN'T ABLE TO REACH YOU.BUT I ASSUME THAT THIS IS THE CORRECT INFORMATION THAT'S ON HERE.
WHICH INFORMATION YOU HAVE, YOUR INFORMATION, YOUR POST OFFICE BOX, WHICH DOESN'T TELL ME ANYTHING ABOUT WHERE YOU LIVE, BUT YOUR PHONE NUMBER.
MY PHONE NUMBER IS (713) 733-6994.
SO WE'LL REACH OUT TO SEE, BECAUSE I HAVE CALLED YOUR OFFICE.
OKAY, WELL THAT'S WHY I'M GONNA FIND OUT WHY.
NEXT RIDWAN, KAWANA TO BE FOLLOWED BY LAKSHMI.
UH, I'M HERE TODAY WITH, UH, A SIMPLE IDEA THAT COULD SAVE LIVES IN HOUSTON.
UM, WHEN FIRST RESPONDERS, UH, ARRIVE AT AN APARTMENT COMPLEX OR GADE COMMUNITY, THEY OFTEN LOSE CRITICAL MINUTES WAITING FOR THE LEASING OFFICE TO OPEN THE GATE OR SOMEBODY TO DO SO.
I WOULD LOVE TO WORK AND HELP, UM, THE CITY AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BUILD AN APP WHERE, UH, FIRST RESPONDERS AND EMS CAN OPEN THE GATES WITH, UM, ONE CLICK, UM, AND SAVE TIME.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK POLL COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLEN, THAT SOUNDS LIKE A VERY INTERESTING IDEA THAT YOU HAVE.
FIRST, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN AND WAITING SO PATIENTLY TO LET US KNOW IF YOU WANT TO SEND OUR OFFICES SOME INFORMATION ON YOUR BACKGROUND AND, AND, AND, UH, YOUR EXPERIENCE.
AND MAYBE WE CAN, WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND SEE HOW WE COULD TAKE THAT IDEA FURTHER.
NEXT LAKSHMI RIN TO BE FOLLOWED BY FARRIN MANUEL.
SO GOOD EVENING HONORABLE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO MY NAME IS LAKSHMI ANI, I'M PRESIDENT OF DISTRICT G.
I'M HONORABLE, TRULY HONORABLE HERE ON BEHALF, BEHALF OF HINDU EDUCATION FOUNDATIONS, H-E-F-U-S-A AND PROJECT OF HINDU, YM IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME OPPORTUNITIES TO SPEAK ABOUT YOUR DEEPLY MEANINGFUL SUBJECT.
HINDU EDUCATION FOUNDATION RECOGNIZE EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING.
EVERY, EVERY ONE OF US CAN PAUSE FOR A MOMENT AND REMEMBER A TEACHER WHO CHANGED OUR LIFE, SOMEONE WHO BELIEVED IN US WHEN WE DOUBTED OURSELF AND GUIDED US WHEN WE FELT LOST AND HELPED SAVE WHO ARE WE ARE TODAY AT HINDU EDUCATION FOUNDATION.
WE HONOR THIS PROFOUND ROLE THROUGH OUR ANNUAL PROGRAM, GURU VANANA, A TEACHER APPRECIATION EVENT, A HEARTFUL EXPRESSIONS OF GRATITUDE TO TEACHERS.
IT ALIGNS WITH TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK IN THE UNITED STATES, CELEBRATING THE EARLY MAY IN OUR TRADITIONS.
GURU IS NOT JUST SOMEONE WHO TEACHES, BUT SOMEONE WHO REMOVES DARKNESS AND BRING LIGHTS INTO YOUR STUDENT LIFE.
THERE IS A WELL KNOWN VERSE WE CAN SAY, UH, GURU, GURU THAT MEANS GURU IS A CREATURE AND SUSTAINER, AND THE TRANSFORMER AND THE GURU IS TRULY THE EMBODIMENT OF HIGHLY HIGHEST KNOWLEDGE SALUTATIONS TO THE RIVER TEACHER THROUGH GURU STUDENTS, THROUGH ANA.
EVEN THE STUDENTS INVITE THE TEACHERS EXPRESS THEIR GRATITUDE AND LY RECOGNIZE THEIR IMPACT.
WHAT MAKES THIS ESPECIALLY POWERFUL IS THAT TEACHER FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS OR HONE THROUGH ONE USL VALUE GRATITUDE.
BECAUSE WHEN CHILDREN LEARN TO RESPECT THE TEACHER, THEY LEARN HUMILITY.
WHEN THEY EXPRESS GRATITUDE, THEY BUILD EMPATHY.
AND WHEN THEY RECOGNIZE GUIDANCE, THEY BECOME LIFELONG LEARNERS.
THESE ARE NOT JUST PERSONAL VIRTUES, THEY ARE THE FOUNDATION OF STRONG COMMUNITIES IN THE DIVERSE AND VIBRANT CITY LIKE HOUSTON.
PROGRAMS LIKE GURU VANANA, TEACHER APPRECIATION, EVEN BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER, FAMILIES, EDUCATORS, AND COMMUNITIES REMINDING US THAT EDUCATION IS NOT JUST ABOUT KNOWLEDGE, BUT ABOUT
[02:10:01]
BUILDING CHARACTERS AND CONNECTIONS.AND BEHALF OF THE HINDU EDUCATION FOUNDATION, I WARMLY INVITE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY TO ATTEND OUR ANNUAL RA EVENT ON SATURDAY MAY 2ND.
4:00 PM TO 6:30 PM THANK YOU MA'AM.
SO THIS IS THE INVITATIONS I CAN PASS THROUGH, PLEASE TO BE FOLLOWED BY SUNNY MOSS.
GOOD AFTERNOON OR GOOD EVENING.
BEEN HERE ALL DAY, IT FEELS LIKE AFTERNOON STILL.
I WANNA ASK, UM, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYORS, IF YOU'VE HEARD OR ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE NAME MAKIA TAYLOR.
I DID NOT KNOW HER PERSONALLY, BUT SHE WAS UNFORTUNATELY TRAGICALLY KILLED AT THE INTERSECTION OF EMANCIPATION IN PIERCE STREET.
SHE WAS LEAVING THE SPOT IDO AND SHE WAS PARKED ON THE FEEDER.
I REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF COLEMAN CROSSING.
WE'RE IN DISTRICT I AND WE'VE BEEN THERE FOR ABOUT EIGHT YEARS.
AND THIS WOMAN'S PASSING REALLY RESONATED WITH US.
THIS INTERSECTION IS HIGHLY UNSAFE.
THERE HAVE BEEN CARS THAT HAVE BEEN FLIPPED OVER, RUN INTO POLES, AND WE BELIEVE THAT MAYBE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY AND TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, THERE CAN BE SOME SAFETY PRECAUTIONS PUT IN PLACE TO PREVENT THE PATRONS FROM EITHER NOT PARKING ON THE FEEDER OR MAYBE ADDITIONAL LIGHTS OR LIKE THEY HAVE IN MONTROSE, A CROSS GUARD FOR ADULTS, BUT SOMETHING THAT WOULD PREVENT THIS HAPPENING AGAIN.
UNFORTUNATELY, SHE PASSED AWAY IN FRONT OF MY DOOR AND HER BODY REMAINED THERE FOR ABOUT FOUR HOURS WHILE THEY CONDUCTED AN INVESTIGATION BECAUSE THE INDIVIDUAL WHO HIT HER WAS TRAVELING OVER 100 MILES PER HOUR, HIT FIVE OTHER VEHICLES BEFORE HITTING HER.
YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T JUST GET OVER THINGS LIKE THAT.
THIS HAPPENED, UM, EARLIER THIS YEAR IN FEBRUARY AND IT IS BEEN HEAVY ON MY HEART.
SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING, I HAVE A FEW OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS HERE IS POTENTIALLY RESTRICTING OR ELIMINATING PARKING ON THE FEEDER.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS AT THE INTERSECTION OF EMANCIPATION AND PIERCE.
THERE'S A HIGHWAY ENTRANCE RAMP BETWEEN THIS GREEN LIGHT AND WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED TO PARK.
SO CARS ARE ACCELERATING IF THERE'S A GREEN LIGHT.
ADDITIONALLY, UM, CONDUCTING A TRAFFIC STUDY WITH TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO POTENTIALLY SEE THAT THIS IS A FREQUENT HAPPENING, THIS IS A FREQUENT OCCURRENCE.
NEXT, INSTALLING PEDESTRIAN SAFETY MEASURES, BLINKING LIGHTS WOULD HELP OR EVEN A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS TO SEE WHAT THEY COULD DO ABOUT PROTECTING THEIR PATRONS AS WELL.
THIS INTERSECTION IS DANGEROUS BY DESIGN, BUT IT IS FIXABLE AND I URGE YOU TO ACT BEFORE ANOTHER TRAGEDY OCCURS.
AND AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW MAKIA TAYLOR PERSONALLY, BUT SHE WAS THE MOTHER OF TWO SMALL CHILDREN AND I, I DEFINITELY HATE THAT THEY ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO BE WITH HER.
MS. SMITH, MA'AM? COUNCILOR MARTINEZ.
UH, AND I'M TRYING TO GET SOME CLARITY 'CAUSE UH, UH, THE ADDRESS, IT'S ON THE WEST SIDE OF 45, BUT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE EXIT OFF OF PIERCE ONTO LIVE OAK OR CORRECT.
OH, UH, WELL JUST FOR CLARIFI AGAIN, I'M SORRY FOR THE, THE TRAGEDY.
IT'S, IT, WE DEFINITELY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING WHAT'S BEST FOR THE, THOSE RESIDENTS AS WELL.
BUT ARE YOU SPEAKING ABOUT SOUTHBOUND ON THE PIERCE OR NORTHBOUND ON THE SOUTHBOUND.
SO THEN IT'S IN DISTRICT D, BUT THIS IS, I'M VERY FAMILIAR.
THAT'S MY RIDE HO MY RIDE HOME.
SO, UM, I, I'LL WORK WITH, UH, MY COLLEAGUE COUNCILOR EVAN SHABA.
WE WERE TRYING TO GOOGLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT DISTRICT WE WERE IN.
BUT, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, DISTRICT LINES, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY FOR STUFF LIKE THIS, YOU KNOW, WE WANT, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THE BEST THAT WE CAN.
UH, SO I THANK YOU'LL WORK WITH MY COLLEAGUE, UM, AND I HAVE SOMEBODY, I THINK WE BOTH HAVE, UH, TEAM MEMBERS HERE OKAY.
AND THEN WE CAN FIND, FIGURE OUT WHAT IS GOING ON.
THERE'S, THERE ARE SOME PARKING ON LIVE OAK AND IT'S ON THE SOUTHBOUND ON THE FURTHEST RIGHT, UH, LEFT LANE.
AND IT DOES MAKE IT CHALLENGING BECAUSE I THINK THEY FREQUENT THE, THE ESTABLISHMENTS ON THE RIGHT, CORRECT.
ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CORRECT.
SO, UM, LET US, LET US FIGURE OUT, IT MIGHT NOT, I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE LEGALLY, LIKE PEOPLE SHOULD LEGALLY PARK THERE 'CAUSE IT IS A FRONTAGE ROAD.
UM, BUT UH, WE'LL TALK TO TEXT DOT 'CAUSE IT'S GONNA BE A TEXT DOT, UH, CONVERSATION AS WELL.
SO LET US WRAP OUR HANDS AROUND IT.
UM, IDENTIFY WHAT THE BEST SOLUTION IS AND THEN WORK WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AS WELL TO SEE WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
AND MOST RECENTLY, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PAINTED CLEAR INDICATIONS OF LINES WHERE YOU COULD PARK.
SO THAT OUR CONCERN IS THAT PEOPLE ARE CROSSING WHEN THERE'S A GREEN LIGHT.
[02:15:01]
YOU DON'T HONK IT, I'VE SEEN SO MANY, AND ONCE YOU PASS THAT LIGHT, YOU'RE ACTUALLY JUMPING ONTO THE, IMMEDIATELY ON FOUR, FIVE, THE, SO IT DOES MAKE IT DIFFICULT.AND I THINK, I DON'T KNOW IF INGRAM INGRAM'S HERE AS WELL, SO WE'LL TAG TEAM IT TOGETHER.
AND YOU KNOW, WHEN I, WHEN I HEARD ABOUT THAT, IT WAS VERY DEVASTATING.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T LIVE VERY FAR FROM THERE.
AND THEN I'VE, I'VE BEEN THERE.
I KNOW THE OWNERS OF, OF THE SPOT ITO.
BUT WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IS THAT YOU HAVEN'T JUST COME HERE TO TALK ABOUT IT.
YOU COME HERE TO PRESENT SOME POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS.
AND, AND AS MY UH, COLLEAGUE SAID, WE WILL SEE WHAT WE CAN GET DONE.
NOW, JUST AN UNDERSTANDING, SHE CAME OUT OF THE SPOT, ITO, UH, WHICH IS ON THE CORNER OF EMANCIPATION AND, AND, AND PIERCE.
AND WHERE DID SHE WALK? I'M ASSUMING SHE WAS WALKING FROM THE SPOT ITO TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE STREET WHEN SHE WAS STRUCK, BECAUSE SHE WENT ACROSS SO IT WASN'T ACROSS, IT DIDN'T HAPPEN ON LIVE OAK? NO, NOT ON LIVE OAK.
OKAY, BECAUSE THAT WAS A LITTLE CONFUSED ADDRESS.
WELL, ONE THING THEY MAYBE COULD DO IS STOP ALL OF THAT PARKING OVER THERE ON THAT SIDE OF THE STREET.
THEN PEOPLE WOULD NOT HAVE TO WALK ACROSS THERE TO GO TO THEIR, UH, BINGO.
YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE LET'S JUST BE HONEST, PEOPLE ARE COMING OUT, THEY'RE SOMEWHAT IMPAIRED, IMPAIRED SOMETIMES.
AND SO, AND THEN THEY ARE FLYING DOWN THAT STREET TRYING TO GET ON THE FREEWAY.
SO, UH, IF YOU WILL TALK TO THE, THE LADY AT THE DOOR AND THE GENTLEMAN AT THE DOOR.
THANK, YOULL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.
BUT THANK YOU FOR COMING WITH SOLUTIONS.
NEXT SONNY MOSS TO BE FOLLOWED BY LEE PERRY.
UM, I'M ALSO IN THE SAME COMMUNITY AS FARON, SO MY CONCERNS ARE GONNA MIRROR A LOT OF WHAT HERS DO.
UM, BUT JUST WANTED TO RAISE THIS, UM, SERIOUS PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERN, UM, AGAIN RELATED TO THE TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC AND PARKING, UM, ALONG PIER STREET AT THE INTERSECTION OF EMANCIPATION.
SO WE ARE SEEING AND HAVE BEEN OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, AN INCREASE IN TRAFFIC AND ROADSIDE PARKING ON THIS INTERSECTION.
UM, FOLKS ARE PARKING ALONG THE, UM, ALONG PIER STREET, WHICH LIKE YOU GUYS MENTIONED, IS A FEEDER ROAD, IS A FRONTAGE ROAD.
UM, IT CREATES A DANGEROUS MIX OF CONDITIONS WITH SOME DRIVERS SLOWING DOWN TO PARK IN THESE AREAS WHILE UP, WHILE OTHERS ARE SPEEDING UP TOWARDS THE ON RAMP.
UM, AND THEN, LIKE WE MENTIONED, UM, WE HAVE PEDESTRIANS CROSSING THIS BUSY FEEDER ROAD TO GET TO THE PRIMARILY TWO ESTABLISHMENTS THAT ARE RIGHT THERE.
UM, IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT MUCH OF THIS ACTIVITY HAPPENS AFTER DARK WHEN LIGHTING IS POOR.
UM, THE LIGHTING IS REALLY, REALLY BAD IN THAT AREA.
UM, WHICH OBVIOUSLY ALL OF THIS FURTHER INCREASES THE RISK.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN UNCLEAR WHETHER THIS PARKING IS EVEN PERMITTED.
SO THEY ARE PARKING ALONGSIDE THE FEEDER AS WELL AS THE GRASSY AREA THAT IS JUST, UM, RIGHT BESIDE THE HIGHWAY.
THEY'VE KIND OF CREATED THIS AREA WHERE THERE'S ALMOST LIKE A PARKING LOT
UM, SO WE DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S PERMITTED, IF IT IS PERMITTED, IF IT'S APPROPRIATE.
UM, AND SO I ALSO JUST DID WANNA MENTION THE YOUNG LADY THAT WAS, THAT WAS KILLED, UM, TRAGICALLY ON SUNDAY NIGHT, FEBRUARY 1ST.
SO AGAIN, WORTH NOTING THAT WHILE MOST OF THIS TRAFFIC HAPPENS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, WE ARE SEEING THIS SUNDAY NIGHTS AND ALONG THROUGHOUT THE WEEK AS WELL.
UM, THAT LOSS REALLY MADE IT CLEAR THAT THESE CONDITIONS ARE NOT JUST INCONVENIENT, BUT THEY'RE UNSAFE.
UM, I DID ALSO HAVE A COUPLE OF SOLUTIONS, MANY OF WHICH WERE MENTIONED BY FARON, BUT, UM, WE WANTED YOU GUYS TO CONSIDER THINGS LIKE RESTRICTING AND PROHIBITING PARKING IN THESE AREAS.
UM, INCREASING ENFORCEMENT DURING PEAK HOURS, ADDING SIGNAGE, LIGHTING, UM, AND CLEARLY MARKED PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS.
UM, AND THEN WORKING WITH THE LOCAL BUSINESSES TO PROVIDE SAFER PARKING ALTERNATIVES, MAYBE VALET OR OFFSITE, UM, PARKING ARRANGEMENTS.
UM, WE KNOW PARKING IS LIMITED IN THE AREA AND IT IS BRINGING A LOT OF TRAFFIC, UM, AT MINIMUM REQUESTING A TRAFFIC AND SAFETY STUDY ALONG WITH INTERIM MEASURES TO REDUCE THE IMMEDIATE RISK AND HELP PREVENT ANOTHER TRAGEDY.
NEXT LEE PERRY TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALFREDA WILLIAMS. I AM PRETTY SURE Y'ALL KNOW ME BY NOW.
UH, HOW Y'ALL DOING? UH, LET ME READ THIS LETTER FOR Y'ALL RIGHT QUICK.
A REVIEW OF RECORDED DOCUMENTS PERTAINING
[02:20:01]
TO YOUR INTERESTS AND THE COUNTY RECORDS HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND TG NATIONAL RESOURCES HAS RELEASED YOUR INTEREST INTO PAY.NOW, WHEN I FIRST CAME IN HERE, I TALKED TO Y'ALL ABOUT A COUNTERFEIT CHECK THAT THEY USED TO PURCHASE MY PROPERTY WITH.
AND THE FIRST THING THEY TELL YOU TO DO IS REPORT IT TO THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THE GUY I WORKED WITH WENT BACK AND FORTH WITH ME FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS, TRIED TO EXPLAIN TO ME WHY A CLOUD FAIR CHECK IS NOT COUNTERFEIT.
AND IF IT AIN'T GOT NO VALUE TO IT, IT IS COUNTERFEIT.
IF I BOUGHT SOMEBODY PROPERTY AND IT WOULD, AND IT WAS WORTH ZERO TO CHECK, I'D BE IN JAIL RIGHT NOW.
SEE, I THINK WE'VE LETTING POLITICS GET INTO THIS AND THEY TRY TO PICK CERTAIN PEOPLE TO SAY, WELL, WE, IT'S WRONG IF IT'S RIGHT.
IF YOU GOOGLE IT, IF YOU CHECK GPT, IT SPECIFICALLY TELLS YOU IT'S EQUIVALENT.
BUT FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS, I HAD TO GO THROUGH CIVIL COURT.
THE JUDGE TOLD US TO TAKE MY PART OF WHAT MY, TAKE MY CASE OVER TO THE MENT OF COURT.
AND HE'S STILL UP THERE TRYING TO SAY, AIN'T NOTHING WRONG.
NOW, HERE I AM, THE PEOPLE THAT PAID ME FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS THAT THEY KEPT MY MONEY AND YOU GOING TO TELL ME IT WASN'T NOTHING WRONG.
AND HE STILL SAID TO THIS DAY, NOTHING WAS WRONG.
HELL, THEY PAID ME AND THEY GONNA KEEP PAYING ME.
IT HAD TO BE SEVERAL WRONG PEOPLE.
DON'T JUST PAY FOR THE FOR THE HELL OF IT.
THEY WERE PAYING ME THIS GUY COME UP WITH A COUNTERFEIT CHECK AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE NO UNITED STATES THEY WERE MARRIED.
DADDY CHECK THAT'S USELESS FOR 21,000 AND IT'S WORTH ZERO WHEN YOU TAKE IT TO A BANK.
HOW IN THE HELL SOMETHING WRONG, SOMETHING WRONG WITH HIM? HE IN THE WRONG DEPARTMENT.
I'M JUST TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE THEY SENT OUT A THOUSAND OF THESE CHECKS.
THEY MONTH, I WORKED ALL THAT GAS FOR 52 YEARS.
MATTER OF FACT, I WORKED SPECIFICALLY WITH WHITE COLLAR CRIME AND HE'S STILL SITTING OVER THERE TRYING TO CONVINCE ME AND THE DA, NOTHING IS WRONG.
NOW, THE JUDGE SAID IT'S CRIMINAL.
THE PEOPLE DONE ALREADY PAID ME.
AND HE STILL SAID IT'S CRIMINAL.
NO, HE STILL SAID AND WASN'T NOTHING WRONG.
I GUESS I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, DID YOU SAY IT'S A COUNTERFEIT CHECK OR WAS IT AN INSUFFICIENT BONDS CHECK? IT WAS WORTH ONE PENNY.
WELL, WHAT I'M SAYING THAT'S COUNTERFEIT.
IF YOU SAY IN YOUR DEED THAT YOU PUT A CHECK BETWEEN 1000 IN MY HAND AND I TAKE IT TO THE BANK, THEY SAY THEY AIN'T WORTH ONE.
WAS THE TITLE TO THE PROPERTY TRANSFERRED TO THEM BASED? WELL, WELL HOLD UP.
THIS WHERE THE SC I'M A SENIOR CITIZEN.
NOW, ONCE YOU SIGN THAT DEED, THAT DEED IS LEGAL DEED.
THE CHECK IS THE ONE THAT'S ILLEGAL, RIGHT? RIGHT.
YOU HAVE SIGNED YOUR PROPERTY OVER TO HIM AND IF HE TAKE IT TO PUT IT ON FILE IN THE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, THE ONLY THING YOU COULD DO IS GO TO COURT.
AND NOW YOU GOTTA SPEND ALL THIS MONEY BECAUSE IT GOT ALL STARTED WITH A COUNTER CHECK.
OKAY, SO AND YOU BEEN TRYING TO CANCEL THAT SALE REPORTED TO THE HPD? I DID.
SO YOU'VE BEEN TRYING TO CANCEL THAT SALE BECAUSE YOU DID EXECUTE THE DEED.
AND, AND, AND THEY FILED THE DEED WITH THE COUNTY RECORDS.
I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IS IF THEY COULDN'T, IF YOU HAVE THE ORIGINAL DEED AND THEY COULDN'T FILE IT, AND YOU ALREADY, BUT THEY TOOK IT TO THE COMPANY THAT WAS PAYING ME EVERY MONTH TO OUR COMPANY AND OUR COMPANY TOOK IT.
IT SAYS YOU GOING TO TAKE, THEY TOOK MY INTEREST AND GAVE IT TO THEM FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS, BUT THEY TOOK IT ON A DEED.
THAT WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL DEED.
OKAY, SO THE OIL COMPANY IS PAYING THE PERSON WHO GAVE YOU THE BAD CHECK.
NO, I'M NOT, I'M NOT TRYING UNDERSTANDING A BAD CHECK IS IF THE CHECK IS COUNTERFEIT.
IN EVERY STATE, IN THE WHOLE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND THEY SET OUT A THOUSAND OF THESE CHECKS EVERY MONTH AND THEY ALL GO TO
[02:25:01]
LOOK HERE.YOU WANNA FILL THE COURTROOM UP WITH THE SENIOR CITIZENS THAT GET 'EM AND THAT HAVE BEEN TURNED AWAY.
AND THEN WE GOTTA GO THROUGH ALL THIS TWO AND A HALF YEARS IN COURT SPENDING ALL THIS MONEY TRYING TO GET SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD HAVE GOT IT DONE RIGHT IN THE BEGINNING.
WELL, ALFREDO WILLIAMS, DIDN'T YOU TALK HIM? OKAY, I'LL BE FILED A LAWSUIT.
DAVID PRICE, STEVEN, COACH AND I CO AND I TO BE FOLLOWED BY ROBERT GALLEGOS.
UH, I'VE SPOKEN WITH NORMA MADANO ABOUT THIS.
AND DR, I MEAN IN, UH, MS. CARTER'S OFFICE, UH, SORRY, SORRY.
OH, OH, THIS, UH, I HAVE SPOKEN WITH MS. CARTER'S OFFICE, UH, UH, DANELLE FIELDS.
ALSO THE FEARLESS CAROLYN, UH, OFFICE, UH, INGRAM MITCHUM, AND I APPRECIATE THOSE PEOPLE.
UM, I DO ASK ALL OF YOU FOR MORE HELP.
UM, I WAS BANNED FROM, UH, HARRIS HEALTH TWO MONTHS AGO.
UH, THIS IS A CITY FULL OF HOMELESS PEOPLE.
THE WAY OUT OF HOMELESSNESS IS PSYCHIATRISTS WHO ACTUALLY DO THEIR JOB.
AND, UH,
UH, THE PSYCHIATRIST AT IN THE CITY DO NOT DO THEIR JOB.
THEY, UM, WERE THERE AT THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT WHEN I WAS THERE, LOBBYING REALLY HARD FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE BENTEL HOSPITAL.
IF YOU ASK ANYBODY WHO USES THE METRO BUS, WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT BENILE HOSPITAL, THEY'LL ALL TELL YOU IT'S A SLAUGHTERHOUSE FOR GUINEA PIGS.
THEY TURN INDIGENTS INTO CASH.
COWS, LAB RATS, GUINEA PIGS, LIKE I SAID, AND IT'S THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE TO GO.
ALL OF YOU ARE LUCKY TO NOT HAVE TO GO THERE.
AND SO ARE THE COMMISSIONERS WHO GAVE THEM MORE MONEY TO DO ALL THE ABUSES THAT THEY DO DO ON THAT DAY.
THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT PATIENT HEALING, PATIENT RECOVERY, SAFETY, DIGNITY.
BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT, THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENS THERE.
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DIVERTING PEOPLE WITH NEUROPSYCH ILLNESS AWAY FROM THE JAIL SYSTEM, BUT THAT'S DEFINITELY NOT WHAT THEY DO.
THEY, UH, GO INTO APPOINTMENTS.
THEY HANDCUFF PEOPLE, RESTRAIN PEOPLE, UH, THAT HEALTHCARE INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX AND THE PRISON INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX THAT THEY SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, PRAISE ON PEOPLE LIKE ME WITH NEUROPSYCH ILLNESS.
AND I'M ASKING ALL OF YOU FOR HELP.
I DID FILE A CASE IN THE JP COURT AND IN THE DISTRICT COURT ALREADY.
UM, AND LIKE I SAID, THEY DO EVERYTHING THERE FOR THEIR OWN JOB SECURITY.
THEY WERE FILIBUSTERING FOR LIKE 10, 15, 20 MINUTES
AND IT'S A HOSTILE TAKEOVER OF PUBLIC PARKLAND.
UM, THE DAMAGES THAT THEY DO THERE TO PEOPLE ARE VERY, VERY UNSAFE, VERY CRUEL.
UM, AND LIKE I SAID, IF THEY WANT TO BAN ME, UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, I AM JUST ONE OF MANY.
AND THE PEOPLE WHO THEY DID IT TO ALSO ARE, YOU KNOW, PRICED OUT FROM COMING HERE AND TALKING TO YOU GUYS ABOUT IT.
SO PLEASE, YOU KNOW, TAKE MY TESTIMONY SERIOUSLY AND I DO NEED Y'ALL SUPPORT.
UM, THE, UH, AND THEN ONCE YOU EXPOSE THEIR CORRUPTION, YOU REPORT THEIR ABUSE, THEY BAN YOU.
UM, ALSO, THEY INJURED MY ANKLE.
I COULDN'T WALK FOR LIKE TWO WEEKS.
AND IT'S THAT, THAT IS NOT THE RIGHT APPROACH TO PUBLIC HEALTH OR PUBLIC SAFETY OUTCOME.
SOME ASSISTANCE FROM ONE OF YOU GUYS.
ARE THEY THERE FOR ME? VERY GOOD.
CAN YOU COME ON SPEAKING PLEASE? ROBERT GALLEGOS, NEXT TO BE FOLLOWED BY JEREMY PEELE.
I'M FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS, WHO REPRESENTED
I'M HERE THIS EVENING 'CAUSE AFTER HEARING THE CITY WAS RENAMING THE STREET OF CAESAR CHAVEZ STREET, I REACHED OUT TO THE AMERICAN LEGION POST 4 72, AND THEY AGREED TO HOLD A COMMUNITY MEETING.
I WALKED CAESAR CHAVEZ STREET AND DROPPED OFF THE, UH, COMMUNITY MEETING NOTICES AND JOE CHACO RAMIREZ BIO TO THE HOMES AND BUSINESSES ALONG MOST OF CAESAR CHAVE STREET.
I RECENTLY SPOKE AT THE AMERICAN LEGION HALL TO THE VETERANS AND THE WOMEN'S AUXILIARY, AND THE MAJORITY WERE IN SUPPORT OF RENAMING THE STREET.
AFTER JOE CHACO RAMIREZ, I SPOKE AT THE JOHNNY CERVANTES VETERANS CLUB MEETING AND AT THE HOUSTON GI FORUM MONTHLY MEETING, BOTH GROUPS SIGNED PETITIONS IN SUPPORT OF JOE CHACO RAMIREZ.
I ALSO REACHED OUT TO THE BODY OF BOYS IN THE
[02:30:01]
GATHERING OF EAGLES.TWO MORE AREA VETERANS GROUPS.
LAST WEEK, THE AMERICAN LEGION POST 4 72 HOSTED THE COMMUNITY MEETING, WHICH WAS WELL ATTENDED.
COUNCIL MEMBERS MARTINEZ JULIAN RAMIREZ FOR ATTENDING THE MEETING AND HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AT THE MEETING, THE FLOOR WAS OPEN TO MAKE COMMENTS ON WHO THE STREET SHOULD BE NAMED AFTER AND WHY AFTER EVERYONE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK YOUR, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
GO AHEAD AND FINISH UP COUNCIL MEMBER.
AFTER EVERYONE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, IF VOTE WAS TAKEN, AND IT WAS OVERWHELMINGLY IN SUPPORT OF RENAMING CAESAR CHAVEZ STREET TO JOE CHACO RAMIREZ.
SO BEFORE THE STREET SIGNS ARE ORDERED AND THE, THE ORDERED, THE COMMUNITY WAS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, AND THEY VOTED TO RENAME CAESAR CHAVEZ STREET.
AFTER MASTER SERGEANT AND JOE, UH, RAMIREZ.
NEAR THE END OF COVID EPIDEMIC, THE RAMIREZ FAMILY CELEBRATED JOE CHACO RAMIREZ, 89TH BIRTHDAY.
HE WAS SEATED OUTSIDE AND THERE WAS A COMMUNITY DRIVE-BY PARADE.
THE LATE MAYOR TURNER AND I ATTENDED THE COMMUNITY EVENT.
MAYOR TURNER PRESENTED A MEMORIAL PROCLAMATION AND I PRESENTED A DISTRICT EYE CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION TO JOE CHACO RAMIREZ.
DURING HIS 89TH BIRTHDAY PARADE.
IT WAS HEARTWARMING TO SEE THE NUMBER OF DECORATED VEHICLES FROM THE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATING IN THE PER BIRTHDAY PARADE, PASSING BY IN FRONT OF HIS HOME, A LOCAL HE WAR HERO, HONKING HORNS, AND WAVING AT JOE CHACO RAMIREZ, WHO PROUDLY WAVED BACK.
AND I ASK THAT YOU RENAME CAESAR CHAVEZ STREET AFTER MASTER SERGEANT JOE CHACO RAMIREZ RAMIREZ, A LOCAL HERO.
UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY.
DID, UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER NAMES BEING CONSIDERED? UH, YES MA'AM.
AT THE, UH, PUBLIC MEETING THAT WE HELD LAST THURSDAY, I OPENED IT UP TO THE FLOOR, UH, AND IT WAS WELL ATTENDED.
I ASKED, ARE THERE ANY OTHER NAMES? UH, THERE WAS A TOTAL OF FOUR.
UH, THERE WERE SOME THAT SAID, JUST LEAVE IT ALONE.
UH, THERE WAS ANOTHER GROUP THAT STATED THEY WOULD LIKE IT NAMED AFTER MAGNOLIA PARK.
UH, THERE WAS ANOTHER GROUP THAT SAID, LET'S NAME IT, AFTER MARIA JIMENEZ.
HE, SHE WAS A, A COMMUNITY ACTIVIST, A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER AND ORATOR.
UH, AND THEN THERE WAS A GROUP THAT SAID, LET'S NAME IT, AFTER JOE CHACO RAMIREZ, WE TOOK A VOTE.
EVERYONE WAS ALLOWED TO SPEAK.
I NEVER, I DIDN'T CUT ANYBODY OFF.
UH, AND THEN AFTER, UH, EVERYONE SPOKE, UH, WE TOOK A VOTE AND IT WAS OVERWHELMINGLY IN SUPPORT OF JOE CHACO RAMIREZ.
THANK YOU FOR THAT INSIGHT, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY.
JOSEPH AMARI JOSEPH, HOW DOING THAT? HEY, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A, DOING A BILL WHITE AREA.
HE WAS, IT WAS A VERY, UH, GOOD JOKE ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, UH, WHAT CALL PORTABLE HOUSINGS.
AND I WON'T GO TO THE JOKE RIGHT NOW, BUT HE HAD A GOOD JOKE ABOUT WHAT PORTABLE HOUSING BE BACK THEN.
BUT ANYWAY, AFTER I, AFTER HEAR ALSO KNOWN JOSEPH WOMAN REPORTED TO LOUISIANA, TEXAS, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY AND GOVERNOR AUTHORITY THAT HIS MOTHER ANDERSON CONTINUED TO BE A VICTIM, A KIDNAPPED VICTIM.
HE ALSO REPORTED THAT TO THE SAME LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENTS AND GOVERNMENT AUTHORITY, THAT HE'S AVIC, THAT HE'S A VICTIM OF SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFIT FRAUD AND WERE LEGALLY VICTIM IN BOTH THE STATE, TEXAS AND LOUISIANA.
HIS TWO MOVIE SCRIPTS WAS STOLEN OUT OUT OF HIS LOUISIANA STATE, FAMILY STATE AS HIS FAMILY STATE AND THE FAMILY STATE PROPERTY WAS ILLEGALLY SEARCHED AND SEIZED A VIOLATION OF FOURTH FIFTH AMENDMENT.
THE
THE RIGHT ACTION PRICE IS FOR $3 MILLION.
THE MOVE SCRIPT, JUST, JUST LIVING BOX OFFICE IS POTENTIAL.
A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS WAS NOT FOR SALE.
MOVING SCRIPT SHARE, PORTER PLANTATION WAS STOLEN OUT AN EMAIL ACCOUNT WHILE YOU, THE HOUSTON LIBRARY, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
SHARE PORT PLANTATION BOX OFFICE POTENTIAL.
IT'S 200 MILLION ACTIVE PRICE, $3 MILLION.
I'M, I MIGHT BE HOMELESS, BUT MY STUFF IS WORTH A LOT OF MONEY.
THANK YOU, MR. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.
AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, IF I WAS NO, WE AIN'T GOT TIME, I'LL TELL YOU.
FIRST OF ALL, IF I WAS IN MICHAEL JACKSON CLMP, I'D BE MICHAEL JACKSON'S SONGWRITER, AND MY INTEREST BE 25% OF EVERY SONG HE WROTE.
[RECESS]
$60,000 TO CONTRACT WITH ANSLOW BRYAN CONSTRUCTION LIMITED.ITEM 13, ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2021 DASH FIVE 30, APPROVE AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO CONTRACT WITH THE FIERO GROUP LIMITED, DOING BUSINESS AS FENCE MASTER OF HOUSTON, DOING BUSINESS AS ADVANCED CONCRETE AND CONSTRUCTION, DOING BUSINESS AS FLORES STEEL.
ITEM 14, ORDINANCE APPRO AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT WITH CORE PRO COMPANIES, INC.
[02:35:01]
APPROVED AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO CONTRACT WITH T TWO SYSTEMS INC.ITEM 16, ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2024 DASH 71 RELATED TO CONTRACT WITH STAR SERVICE INC.
ITEM 17 ORDINANCE APPROVED AN AUTHORIZING INCREASE IN SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND 59 90 AIRLINE INVESTMENT.
LLC ITEM 18, ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2020 DASH 1 48 RELATED TO CONTRACT WITH HARRIS COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT DOING BUSINESS AS HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM AND BE BUSY WELLNESS CENTER.
ITEM 19 HAS BEEN PULLED BY THE ADMINISTRATION AND WILL NOW BE CONSIDERED ITEM 20, ORDINANCE APPRO AND AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION FOR GRANT ASSISTANCE TO THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY-BASED TREATMENT PROGRAMS FOR JUSTICE INVOLVED YOUTH WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDER.
ITEM 21, ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2021 DASH 10 87 RELATED TO CONTRACT WITH MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS INC.
ITEM 22, ORDINANCE APPROVED IN AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION FOR GRANT ASSISTANCE TO FOCUS ON THE INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF FAMILY VIOLENCE OFFENSES FOR THE FY 27 HPD FAMILY VIOLENCE INITIATIVE FROM THE TEXAS OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR.
ITEM 23 ORDINANCE RENEWING ESTABLISHING THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE 2,400 TO 2,500 BLOCK OF CLEBURNE STREET BETWEEN EMANCIPATION AVENUE AND LIVE OAK STREET WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS AS A SPECIAL MINIMUM LOT SIZE BLOCK PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 42 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES.
ITEM 24 ORDINANCE APPROVED AND AUTHORIZING ALTERNATIVE UNTREATED WATER SUPPLY CONTRACT WITH HARRIS COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NUMBER 3 72 ITEM 25, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $210,000 AS A SECOND ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SECOND AMENDMENT TO PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT WITH CIVIL TECH ENGINEERING LLC.
THIS COMPLETES THE READING OF THE CAPTIONS FOR THE AGENDA.
I'M SORRY, FOR THE CITY COUNCIL SESSION OF APRIL 29TH, 2026.
STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL SESSION TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM AND WITH THAT, I WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY AND BLESSED HUMP DAY COUNCIL.
[RECONVENE]
COME TO ORDER.[ADMINISTRATION REPORT]
WITH THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT.RECOGNIZE OUR CONTROLLER AND FINANCE DIRECTOR AT THIS TIME.
YOU THINK I CAN GET ROLLING? THERE YOU, THERE YOU GO.
I'M HERE TODAY TO PRESENT THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE MONTH, UH, OF MARCH, 2026.
THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE IS PROJECTING AN ENDING FUND BALANCE OF $276.1 MILLION OR 10.4% OF EXPENDITURES, LESS DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026.
THIS IS $23.8 MILLION LOWER THAN THE PROJECTION OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND $31 MILLION LOWER THAN LAST MONTH'S PROJECTION.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN US AND FINANCE IS A REVENUE PROJECTION.
UH, TYPICALLY THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR OFFICES AND SALES TAX.
UH, BUT THIS YEAR, THIS MONTH WE'RE ACTUALLY ALIGNED ON SALES TAX.
UH, THE KEY DIFFERENCE THIS MONTH IS BASED ON, UH, THE TURS MUNICIPAL SERVICE FEE.
OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, THE FEE HAS AVERAGED ABOUT $15.8 MILLION ANNUALLY THIS MONTH, FINANCE IS PROJECTING MORE THAN DOUBLE THAT AMOUNT WITH AN ADDITIONAL $16.4 MILLION.
UH, THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT JUMP.
AND BEFORE WE INCORPORATE THAT INTO OUR PROJECTION, WE NEED A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S DRIVING THAT INCREASE AND WHETHER THOSE FUNDS ARE TIED TO A SPECIFIC USE.
SO WE'RE PLANNING TO MEET WITH FINANCE AND FOR, UH, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM TO GET MORE CLARITY, BUT WANTED YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHY THAT WASN'T IN OUR NUMBERS TODAY.
BASED ON OUR CURRENT PROJECTIONS, THE FUND BALANCE WILL BE APPROXIMATELY $76.9 MILLION ABOVE THE CITY'S TARGET OF HOLDING 7.5% OF TOTAL EXPENDITURES, EXCLUDING DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO IN RESERVE FOR GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS.
WE'VE INCREASED OUR REVENUE PROJECTION BY $8.8 MILLION FROM THE FEBRUARY, 2026 REPORT TO REFLECT A $7.1 MILLION INCREASE IN SALES TAX DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED SALES TAX RECEIPTS AND $1.2 MILLION, PRIMARILY DUE TO HIGHER RECOVERIES AND REFUNDS FROM CENTER POINT ENERGY DIRECT INTER FUND INCREASED BY $0.5 MILLION DUE TO HIGHER FIRE, UH, AIRPORT RELATED SERVICES.
[02:40:01]
WE'VE INCREASED OUR EXPENDITURE PROJECTIONS BY $39.6 MILLION FROM THE FEBRUARY, 2026 REPORT WITH SIGNIFICANT CHANGES AS FOLLOWS, AN INCREASE OF $22.2 MILLION IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, OF WHICH 11.8 MILLION IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE FEBRUARY 27TH ARBITRATION RULING RELATED TO THE ADDITIONAL 3% PAY ESCALATOR.THE REMAINING $10.4 MILLION REFLECTS OVER, UH, REFLECTS OTHER COST INCREASES ASSOCIATED WITH CONTRACT GRIEVANCES, SPECIAL PAY AND MINIMUM STAFFING REQUIREMENTS, AN INCREASE IN $17.2 MILLION IN GENERAL GOVERNMENT DUE TO CATEGORY MANAGEMENT SAVINGS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN REALIZED.
AS YOU MAY RECALL, THIS WAS A PLUG USED TO HELP BALANCE THE BUDGET BASED ON ANTICIPATED SAVINGS FROM PROCUREMENT REFORMS AND AN INCREASE OF $0.3 MILLION IN HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY.
DUE TO THE INTER FUND CLIENT SERVICES RESTRICTED ACCOUNT FOR OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
OUR COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM, UH, OPERATING TRANSFERS DECREASED BY $15 MILLION, PRIMARILY DUE TO LESS TRANSFERS NEEDED, RESULTING FROM PROJECT DELAYS IN THE ROADSIDE DITCH REESTABLISHMENT PROGRAM AND THE STORMWATER FUND IN COMMISSION AND ENTERTAINMENT.
NON OPERATING REVENUES DECREASED BY $15.7 MILLION, DRIVEN BY LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED COLLECTIONS OF HOTEL OCCUPANCY.
TAX OPERATING TRANSFERS DECREASED BY $15.2 MILLION DUE TO LOWER TRANSFERS TO HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATION MOVING TO THE STORMWATER FUND.
REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES DECREASED BY $15 MILLION, DRIVEN BY PROJECT DELAYS AND COST SAVINGS IN THE ROADSIDE DISESTABLISHMENT PROGRAM, WHICH REDUCED THE NEED FOR TRANSFERS FROM THE COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM.
OUR PROJECTIONS FOR THE AVIATION OPERATING FUND AND THE DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL FUNDS REMAIN UNCHANGED FROM THE PRIOR MONTH FOR OUR COMMERCIAL PAPER AND BONDS.
THE CITY'S PRACTICE HAS BEEN TO MAINTAIN NO MORE THAN 20 MILLION, PARDON ME, NO MORE THAN 20% OF THE TOTAL OUTSTANDING DEBT FOR EACH TYPE OF DEBT IN A VARIABLE RATE STRUCTURE, WHICH IS ALIGNED WITH RATING AGENCY GUIDANCE OF 25% FROM TIME TO TIME.
THE CITY'S ENTERPRISE CREDITS HAVE EXCEEDED THIS THRESHOLD ON AN INTERIM BASIS AS THEY HAVE UNDERTAKEN LARGE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS OR MAJOR EXPANSIONS.
AS OF MARCH 31ST, 2026, THE RATIO OF UNHEDGED VARIABLE RATE DEBT FOR CONVENTION AND ENTERTAINMENT WAS 62.4 6.46% DUE TO THE ONGOING GEORGE R. BROWN EXPANSION.
UH, YOU SHOULD SEE THAT NUMBER GO DOWN SUBSTANTIALLY AS A RESULT OF THE BOND ISSUANCES THAT TOOK PLACE RECENTLY.
THE RATIO OF UNHEDGED VARIABLE RATE DEBT FOR EACH OTHER TYPE OF OUTSTANDING DEBT REMAIN WELL BELOW THE 20% THRESHOLD.
WITH THAT, I'LL MOVE ON TO THE QUARTERLY INVESTMENT IN SWAP REPORTS.
AS OF MARCH 31ST, 2026, THE CITY HAD $7.43 BILLION INVESTED IN OUR GENERAL INVESTMENT POOL.
THE CHARACTER OF THIS POOL IS OUT OF A SHORT TERM BOND FUND THAT HOLDS INVESTMENTS OF VERY HIGH CREDIT QUALITY.
FITCH RATINGS REVIEWED THIS POOL AND ASSIGNED THE POOL ITS HIGHEST RATING OF AAA.
OUR INVESTMENT STRATEGY IS TO MATCH ASSETS AND LIABILITIES FOR A TIME PERIOD OF ONE YEAR INTO THE FUTURE AND TO EXERCISE DISCRETION FOR THE BALANCE OF REMAINING FUNDS.
INVESTMENTS ARE $970 MILLION HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR, AND THIS IS PRIMARILY ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE NEW BOND TRANSACTION IN AVIATION AND NEW BOND TRANSACTION IN THE COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM.
AS OF MARCH 31ST, 2026, THE GENERAL INVESTMENT POOL WAS YIELDING 4.035%, WHICH IS UP FROM THE 4% YIELD IN THE PRIOR QUARTER.
IN ADDITION TO THE GENERAL INVESTMENT POOL, WE HAVE TWO SMALL INVESTMENT POOLS THAT TOTAL ABOUT SEVEN, THAT TOTAL ABOUT $15 MILLION.
THOSE POOLS EXIST TO COMPLY WITH TAX REQUIREMENTS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
A DETAILED LISTING OF ALL THE SECURITIES OWNED BY THE CITY APPEAR AT THE BACK OF THE INVESTMENT REPORT.
ALONG WITH OUR INVESTMENT REPORT, WE'VE INCLUDED THE QUARTERLY SWAP REPORT AS IS REQUIRED BY THE SWIT CITY SWAP POLICY.
THE WRITTEN SWAP REPORT OFFERS A COMPREHENSIVE DESCRIPTION OF OUR TWO SWAP POSITIONS.
THE CITY HAD A NET PAID FOR THE NINE MONTH ENDING MARCH 31ST, 2026 FROM ITS SWAPS OF $431,000.
FAIR VALUE FOR BOTH SWAPS AS OF MARCH 31ST, 2026 WAS NEGATIVE 1550 $9 MILLION, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY $7 MILLION LESS THAN THE PRIOR QUARTER.
THE CITY SWAPS ARE FAIRLY COMPLEX, SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS REGARDING THE REPORT, PLEASE CONTACT MY OFFICE, MAYOR AND COUNCIL AS WE CLOSE OUT THE MONTH OF APRIL.
IT'S MY HOPE THAT MOST OF US HAS FILED OUR INCOME TAXES FOR THREE YEARS RUNNING NOW.
THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE HAS WORKED WITH BAKER RIPLEY TO BRING FREE TAX PREPARATION SERVICES
[02:45:01]
DIRECTLY TO CITY OF HOUSTON EMPLOYEES HOSTING DEDICATED SERVICE DAYS THAT CHAMPION BAKER RIPLEY'S BROADER VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANT INITIATIVES WHILE MEETING OUR WORKFORCE WHERE THEY ARE OVER SEVERAL DAYS LEADING UP TO THE FOLLOWING DEADLINE, WE AVERAGED ABOUT 20 FOLLOWERS PER DAY ACROSS 16 DIFFERENT CITY DEPARTMENTS.PUBLIC WORKS ALONE MADE UP OVER 40% OF THE VISITS.
SOLID WASTE OPERATORS WERE ABLE TO DROP OFF PAPERWORK MID ROUTE AND COME BACK AFTER THEIR SHIFT.
AIRPORT WORKERS DROVE IN FROM ALL OVER, UH, FROM THREE DIFFERENT AIRPORTS, AND WE EVEN SAW INTERGENERATIONAL REFERRALS WITH A MOTHER WHO GOT HER TAXES DONE ONE WEEK COMING BACK WITH HER DAUGHTER AND SON-IN-LAW THE NEXT WEEK.
I'M PLEASED TO REPORT THAT BANK ON HOUSTON ALSO PARTICIPATED THIS YEAR TO ENSURE THAT CITY EMPLOYEES HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACCESS CRITICAL FINANCIAL SERVICES AND WILL CONTINUE TO INTEGRATE INTO THE PROGRAM GOING FORWARD.
WHILE I DON'T NECESSARILY LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT TAX SEASON, WE DO LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO SUPPORT HOUSTONIANS AND CITY EMPLOYEES AS THEY NAVIGATE THROUGH SUCH AN IMPORTANT TIME OF YEAR.
NEXT WEEK ON MAY 7TH, OUR OFFICE WILL HOST ITS ANNUAL ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH CELEBRATION RIGHT HERE AT CITY HALL.
HOUSTON, AS YOU KNOW, IS ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE CITIES IN THE COUNTRY.
AND OUR A API COMMUNITY IS A BIG PART OF WHAT MAKES THAT TRUE.
THEY'RE LEADERS IN BUSINESS, ART, EDUCATION, AND PUBLIC SERVICE.
THEY'RE ENTREPRENEURS, ADVOCATES, AND INNOVATORS HELPING SHAPE HOUSTON'S FUTURE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
IN ADDITION TO CELEBRATING WITH FOOD AND ARTISTIC PERFORMANCES, WE'LL BE HONORING DR.
JODY LEE, CHAIR OF SOUTHWESTERN NATIONAL BANK, FORMER TEXAS TRIBUNE, CEO SONO SHAW LOCAL NONPROFIT LEADER, ICE KOTEH, WHO ALSO HAPPENS TO BE A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT HOPE CLINIC FOUNDER BEVERLY JEAN KWAN GORE, ATTORNEY AND ADVOCATE OMAR KAJA AND ACTOR AND COMEDIAN MO AMER.
EACH OF YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN US ON MAY 7TH, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU IN ATTENDANCE.
NOW I WANNA RETURN TO THE NUMBERS.
JUST LAST MONTH, WE INCREASED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET BY $51 MILLION, MOST OF WHICH WENT PREDICTABLY TO HIGH OVERTIME SPENDING.
NOW THIS MONTH, WE'RE ADDING ANOTHER $22 MILLION THAT BRINGS US TO A TOTAL OF $73 MILLION IN INCREASES SINCE THE BUDGET YOU PASSED IN JUNE.
AGAIN, $73 MILLION IN OVERAGES JUST FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE, THE ENTIRE SOLID WASTE BUDGET IS ABOUT $101 MILLION.
THE ENTIRE PARKS BUDGET IS ABOUT $88 MILLION.
SOMETIMES WE HEAR THE STAT THROWN AROUND THAT IF TEXAS WERE ITS OWN COUNTRY, WE'D BE THE EIGHTH LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD.
WELL, HERE, IF JUST THE OVERAGES IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE ITS OWN DEPARTMENT, IT WOULD BE THE FIFTH LARGEST DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO TAKE SERIOUSLY LARGER THAN OUR LIBRARY SYSTEM, LARGER THAN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
TODAY'S ADJUSTMENTS ARE DUE TO PREVIOUS MISCALCULATIONS ABOUT THE TRUE COST OF THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT TO THE CITY, WHICH COME TO ABOUT EIGHT AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS, AS WELL AS NEW BACK PAY TO FIREFIGHTERS AFTER SETTLEMENTS AND AN ARBITRATION RULING AGAINST THE CITY THAT TOTALED $13.7 MILLION.
THE FACTS AROUND THIS ARBITRATOR'S RULING WERE WITHHELD FROM THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE AND CITY COUNCIL IN A MANNER THAT REMAINS CONCERNING AND DISHEARTENING.
WE ONLY FOUND OUT ABOUT THE ARBITRATION RULING WHEN COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER HEARD RUMORS ABOUT IT AND CALLED IT OUT IN A PUBLIC SESSION.
AT THAT TIME, THE CITY ATTORNEY TOLD US THAT THE RULING HADN'T TAKEN PLACE, HAD HAD JUST TAKEN PLACE A FEW WEEKS PRIOR AND HADN'T BEEN PASSED ALONG TO US BECAUSE IT WAS AN ORAL RULING.
HOWEVER, WE NOW KNOW THAT IT WAS A WRITTEN AND SIGNED RULING THAT WAS DATED BACK IN FEBRUARY.
TO BE HONEST, I SIMPLY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THAT.
UH, WHEN THE ADMINISTRATION ACTIVELY MISLEADS AND HIDES INFORMATION FROM THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE AND FROM CITY COUNCIL, IT MAKES US HARDER FOR US TO DO OUR JOBS, AND IT MAKES US HARDER FOR US TO MAKE FACT-BASED DECISIONS.
NEVERTHELESS, THE NET RESULT IS $73 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL DEFICIT SPENDING THIS YEAR FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ALONE.
ADDING EVEN FURTHER TO THE DEFICIT IS A PHANTOM 17 POINT MILLION DOLLARS IN SAVINGS THAT PREDICTABLY NEVER MATERIALIZED.
AND THE BUDGET THAT YOU APPROVED LAST JUNE AFTER EVERY DEPARTMENT WAS GIVEN ITS INDIVIDUAL BUDGET, A DEPARTMENT CALLED GENERAL GOVERNMENT WAS GIVEN A BUDGET OF NEGATIVE $17 MILLION.
A SPENDING LINE ITEM WAS PUT IN FOR A NEGATIVE 17 POINT, $17.6 MILLION OR $17.5 MILLION NOT ATTRIBUTED TO ANY DEPARTMENT AND NOT REDUCING ANY DEPARTMENT'S INDIVIDUAL SPENDING APPROVAL.
THIS IS NOT NEWS THAT WE JUST DISCOVERED BEFORE YOU VOTED ON THAT BUDGET LAST JUNE
[02:50:01]
IN OUR 10 HARD TRUTH DOCUMENT, WHICH YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT OVER AND OVER.TRUTH NUMBER SEVEN TOLD YOU THAT THE BUDGET INCLUDING INCLUDED THIS ITEM MORE THAN $17 MILLION IN VAGUE SAVINGS WITH NO EXPLANATION.
IT SAID IN ADDITION THAT THE BUDGET ASSUMES THAT THIS MONEY WILL BE SAVED, BUT DOESN'T SPECIFY HOW OR FROM WHERE.
TODAY, THOSE SAVINGS ARE NOWHERE TO BE FOUND.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WARNED ABOUT.
BUDGETS ARE NOT BUILT ON HOPE.
THEY'RE BUILT ON DISCIPLINE, ON TRANSPARENCY AND ON EXECUTION.
WHEN ASSUMPTIONS DON'T HOLD, THE CONSEQUENCES DON'T DISAPPEAR.
THEY SHOW UP IN THESE DEFICITS, THEY SHOW UP IN SERVICE CUTS, THEY SHOW UP IN TOUGH DECISIONS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD WE FACED REALITY FROM THE BEGINNING.
THAT'S WHY OUR OFFICE EXISTS TO ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS TO SURFACE THE RISKS EARLY AND TO MAKE SURE THAT HOUSTON IS MAKING DECISIONS BASED ON REALITY AND NOT WISHFUL THINKING.
LAST MONTH WHEN OUR OFFICE TOLD YOU THAT THE DEFICIT FOR THIS YEAR NOW STOOD AT $174 MILLION, THE MAYOR TOLD MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA THAT THAT OUTLOOK WAS OVERSTATED.
MAYOR, I WANNA MAKE CLEAR TO YOU THAT THIS DEFICIT FIGURE COMES FROM NUMBERS THAT YOU TEAM PUTS OUT.
UH, DIRECTOR DESI'S REPORT IS COMING UP, BUT IN IT, HER REPORT WILL SHOW YOU THAT OUR CITY'S FUND BALANCE WILL GO DOWN THIS YEAR BY OVER $180 MILLION.
THIS IS NOT SOME PROJECTION WAY OUT FIVE YEARS IN THE FUTURE.
THIS IS THIS FISCAL YEAR, FISCAL YEAR 2026 THAT WRAPS UP IN JUNE.
AGAIN, OVER $180 MILLION IN DEFICIT SPENDING, UH, BASED ON YOUR TEAM'S CALCULATION, MAYOR, NOT MINE.
OURS IS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER, AND I EXPLAIN THAT BASED ON THIS TERM THING THAT WE'LL GET FIGURED OUT.
HOUSTON'S A STRONG CITY AND I BELIEVE THAT WE'LL GET THROUGH THIS FINANCIAL TROUBLE JUST LIKE WE'VE GOTTEN OVER OTHER CHALLENGES IN CRISES.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY.
IT'S ABOUT WHETHER WE'RE WILLING TO MEET THIS MOMENT WITH HONESTY AND WITH THE RESOLVE THAT'S REQUIRED.
IT'S A CHOICE THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND IT'S A CHOICE THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE TOGETHER.
THIS IS THE NINE PLUS THREE FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING MARCH 31ST, 2026.
FISCAL YEAR 26 PROJECTIONS ARE BASED ON NINE MONTHS OF ACTUAL RESULTS AND THREE MONTHS OF PROJECTIONS FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
OUR REVENUE PROJECTION IS 12.2 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE ADOPTED BUDGET AND 15.7 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE PRIOR MONTH.
THE VARIANCE FROM THE PRIOR MONTH PROJECTION IS PRIMARILY DUE TO A $16 MILLION INCREASE IN INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUE DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED TAX INCREMENTAL COLLECTIONS.
THERE'S ALSO A $539,000 INCREASE IN DIRECT INTER FUND SERVICES TO REFLECT HIGHER CHARGEBACK FOR FIRE AIRPORT SERVICES WITH $1.5 MILLION DECREASE IN INTEREST TO REFLECT LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED INTEREST EARNINGS.
WE'RE NOT MAKING ANY PROJECTIONS TO OUR SALES TAX AT THIS TIME.
UH, THE RECEIPTS FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY CAME IN AT $70.1 MILLION, WHICH IS ABOUT 6% HIGHER THAN THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR, AND ABOUT $1.1 MILLION HIGHER THAN WE BUDGETED TO MEET THE CURRENT ESTIMATE OF 920 MILLION.
THE REMAINING PERIODS WOULD NEED TO COME IN ABOUT 1% BELOW PRIOR YEAR.
UM, SO GIVEN THAT WE'RE, UM, YOU KNOW, INCREASED YEAR TO DATE SO FAR, WE FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH OUR PROJECTIONS AT THIS POINT.
ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, THE EXPENDITURE PROJECTION IS $117 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE ADOPTED BUDGET AND 39.6 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE PRIOR MONTH.
THE VARIANCE FROM THE PRIOR MONTH PROJECTION IS PRIMARILY DUE TO A 22 POINT MILLION DOLLARS INCREASE IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO REFLECT CLASSIFIED PAY INCREASES, SPECIAL PAY CLASSIFIED AND EARNED LEAVE, ALSO KNOWN AS HOLIDAY BUYBACK PROGRAM.
WE'RE ALSO SHOWING A $17.2 MILLION INCREASE IN GENERAL GOVERNMENT DUE TO LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED CATEGORY MANAGEMENT SAVINGS.
AND WE'RE PROJECTING THE ENDING FUND BALANCE TO BE $299.9 MILLION, WHICH IS $23.9 MILLION LOWER THAN THE PRIOR MONTH, BUT REPRESENTS 11.3% OF ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES, NOT INCLUDING DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO.
THAT FUND BALANCE IS $100 MILLION ABOVE THE TARGET OF HOLDING 7.5%.
COMPARING HOW THE, UM, PROJECTION LOOKS LIKE AS OF THIS MONTH'S MOFA, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE COMPARISON TO WHAT WE BELIEVE THE FUND BALANCE WOULD BE AT THE TIME OF THE ADOPTED BUDGET, AT THE TIME OF THE ADOPTED BUDGET, WE PROJECTED THE ENDING FUND BALANCE TO BE AT 12.0%.
SO THE REFLECTION OF, UH, THE CURRENT MONTH'S PROJECTIONS, EVEN INCLUDING THE ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND THE REVENUES, UH, THAT WE'RE FORECASTING TO DATE, UM, THAT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR ESTIMATED FUND BALANCE AT THE TIME OF THE ADOPTED BUDGET THAT YOU ALL VOTED ON, AND THE CURRENT PROJECTION IS OFF BY 0.7% OR ABOUT $5 MILLION.
[02:55:04]
MOVING ON TO ENTERPRISE SPECIAL REVENUE AND OTHER FUNDS WE'RE PROJECTING THE FOLLOWING FORECAST CHANGES FOR THE COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM, OPERATING TRANSFERS DECREASE BY $15 MILLION DUE TO LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED TRANSFER TO THE STORM WATER FUND FOR CONVENTION ENTERTAINMENT.NON-OPERATING REVENUES DECREASE BY 15.7 MILLION DUE TO LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED COLLECTIONS OF HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX AND AN OFFSETTING, UH, TRANSFER DECREASE, UM, TO THE HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATION, UM, BY, UH, BY THE SAME AMOUNT AND THE STORMWATER FUND.
OUR PROJECTED EXPENDITURES ARE DECREASED BY $15 MILLION IN OTHER SERVICES DUE TO LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED CONTRACT COSTS THAT, UH, WERE ABLE TO BE ACHIEVED, UM, BY GOING, UH, GETTING MORE FAVORABLE PRICING IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE COMMITTED ROADSIDE DITCH.
UH, PERFORMANCE MEASURES AS PLANNED ON THE HOUSTON EMERGENCY CENTER FUND REVENUES DECREASED BY 1.7 MILLION DUE TO LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED REIMBURSEMENT FOR 9 1 1 STAFF AND EXPENDITURES DECREASED BY 2.7 MILLION DUE TO PERSONNEL SAVINGS IN THE POLICE SPECIAL SERVICES FUND REVENUES INCREASED BY 1.5 MILLION, MAINLY DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED TRANSFERS RELATED TO THE POLICE SERVICES FOR THE HOMELESS INITIATIVE PROGRAM.
IN THE TOURISM AND PROMOTION, SPECIAL REVENUE FUND REVENUE DECREASED BY $3 MILLION DUE TO LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX, UM, THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED.
AND AS A RESULT, EXPENDITURES DECREASED BY 2.1 MILLION.
JUST TO GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE HOUSTON ECONOMY, WHICH, UH, WE WENT OVER YESTERDAY AT THE BUDGET AND FISCAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING.
UM, SO I'LL JUST GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF IT TODAY.
UM, ACCORDING TO THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, THE PRELIMINARY TOTAL NON-FARM EMPLOYMENT FOR OUR MSA STANDS AT 3.4 MILLION AS OF JANUARY, WHICH IS DOWN ABOUT 1% COMPARED TO THE PRIOR MONTH, COMPARED TO THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.
THE EMPLOYMENT IS UP BY 0.7% FOR UNEMPLOYMENT AS OF JANUARY.
UH, THE LOCAL UNEMPLOYMENT WAS 4.9%.
UM, COMPARING TO JANUARY OF 2025, THE RATE WAS 4.4%.
SO THERE'S A SMALL UPTICK THERE IN THE ENERGY SECTOR.
THE AVERAGE OIL PRICE, AND THIS IS AS OF MARCH, THINGS ARE OBVIOUSLY, UH, EVOLVING RAPIDLY WITH OIL PRICE, BUT THE AVERAGE OIL PRICE WAS ABOUT $91 A BARREL AS OF THE MONTH OF MARCH, AND THAT REPRESENTS A 41% INCREASE FROM THE PRIOR MONTH'S AVERAGE PRICE OF $64 COMPARED TO THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.
THE PI PRICE INCREASED BY 33% AS FAR AS THE RIG COUNT.
OUR AVERAGE OIL RIG COUNT, UM, AS OF THE MONTH OF MARCH, WAS ABOUT 0.7% HIGHER THAN THE PRIOR MONTH IN HOME SALES.
THE LATEST REPORT PREPARED BY THE HOUSTON ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH SHOWS THAT SINGLE FAMILY HOME SALES WAS 3.7% HIGHER COMPARED TO MARCH OF 2025.
AND THE SINGLE FAMILY HOME INVENTORY REACHED ABOUT 4.7 MONTHS OF SUPPLY IN MARCH, WHICH IS AN INCREASE, UH, YEAR OVER YEAR.
THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND GOOD MORNING TO EVERYONE.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR REPORTS.
UM, DIRECTOR DEBOWSKI, UM, YOU AND THE CONTROLLER BOTH HAVE, UH, AN INCREASED EXPENDITURE PROJECTION OF 39.6 MILLION FROM THE PRIOR MONTH, THE 17.2 MILLION IN GENERAL GOVERNMENT.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE RATIONALE BEHIND THAT? THAT NUMBER, WHILE I WAS PUT IN THE BUDGET AS A NEGATIVE, WHY DID WE THINK THAT WE WOULD HAVE COST SAVINGS FROM THAT? WHERE ARE WE GETTING THAT PROJECTION FROM AND WHERE ARE THE SHORTFALLS THAT WE HAVE NOT SEEN AS OF THIS FISCAL YEAR? MM-HMM
AND WE HAD A, A PRETTY ROBUST DISCUSSION YESTERDAY AT THE BFA COMMITTEE MEETING, UM, AND WE'VE BEEN GIVING QUARTERLY UPDATES ON THE CATEGORY MANAGEMENT INITIATIVE.
SO, UM, THE ESTIMATE COMES FROM OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH ERNST AND YOUNG, LOOKING AT ALL THE DIFFERENT CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THE CITY, UM, AND THEIR EXPERIENCE.
THEY'VE SEEN THAT OTHER ENTITIES ARE ABLE TO SEE, SEE ANYWHERE BETWEEN A FIVE TO 15% SAVINGS ON CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION SAVINGS BY GOING THROUGH THE CATEGORY MANAGEMENT INITIATIVE, WHICH IS REALLY LOOKING CITYWIDE AT ALL THE DIFFERENT CONTRACTS WE HAVE.
DO WE HAVE MULTIPLE CONTRACTS FOR THE SAME TYPE OF SERVICES? HOW CAN WE BRING THOSE TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE A LOWER COST FOR THE CITY? UM, SO WE WENT ON A VERY CONSERVATIVE END, UM, IN TERMS OF BUDGETING FOR THAT, UM, HOPING THAT WE COULD REALIZE SOME SAVINGS, UM, AS PART OF FISCAL YEAR 26, UM, YESTERDAY, WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT IS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ALL YEAR ON ROLLING OUT THAT CATEGORY MANAGEMENT INITIATIVE.
WE'VE CREATED CATEGORY COUNCILS ACROSS THE CITY.
[03:00:01]
STRATEGIC PROCUREMENT DIVISION INSIDE THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT TO ORGANIZE HOW THE TEAM WORKS INTO THESE CATEGORY COUNCILS HAVING CATEGORY MANAGERS FOR EACH CATEGORY.AND WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST YEAR IS, UM, WORKING WITH ERNST AND YOUNG TO GET ALL THE DATA INTO A DASHBOARD, WHICH JED, UH, CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICER GREENFIELD DEMOED YESTERDAY.
AND IT REALLY SHOWS, UM, IT'S, IT'S GIVING US A BETTER VIEW OF THE DATA WE ALREADY HAD TO SHOW US WHERE TO TARGET ON WHICH CONTRACTS TO TARGET.
SO REALLY THE FIRST YEAR HAS BEEN TO LAY THAT GROUNDWORK TO GET THAT DASHBOARD IN PLACE AND TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHERE WE CAN GET THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
IT IS GONNA REQUIRE INDIVIDUAL, UM, NEGOTIATIONS WITH EACH OF THOSE CONTRACTED VENDORS AS WE GO TO RENEW CONTRACTS TO REALLY REALIZE THE HARD SAVINGS.
UM, AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE, YOU KNOW, HAD AN INITIAL PROJECTION THAT WE WORKED IN CONSULTATION WITH OUR PARTNERS, UM, TO COME UP WITH THE PROJECTION.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF THE GROUNDWORK WE'RE WE'RE NOT GIVING UP, RIGHT? SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE ON WITH THAT WORK AS WE GO INTO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
DID YOU, DID YOU ANTICIPATE THAT WE WOULD ACTUALLY REALIZE THOSE 17 MILLION WITH THIS AND WAS THERE A PARTICULAR REPORT THAT WAS FURNISHED TO GIVE YOU ALL THAT INFORMATION? I'M NOT SURE IF I RECEIVED THAT REPORT.
HAVE WE RECEIVED THAT REPORT SO I CAN DIVE INTO IT A LITTLE DEEPER? MM-HMM
IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE WORKED WITH OUR CONSULTANTS ON.
UM, I THINK WHAT TOOK US A LITTLE BIT LONGER IS GETTING THAT DASHBOARD IN PLACE AND COMBING THROUGH THE DATA TO SEE WHERE WE COULD TARGET THOSE SAVINGS.
AND WE HAVE MADE A, A VERY GOOD START OF IT.
UM, PART OF WHAT WE FOUND ONCE WE HAD ALL THE DATA IS THAT, UM, IT TURNS OUT THAT OUR CONTRACT PRICING, UM, WAS ACTUALLY PRETTY FAVORABLE.
UM, NOW TOGETHER WITH, OBVIOUSLY WE TALKED ABOUT THE OIL PRICES GOING UP, YOU KNOW, IT'S, WE'RE AT THE POINT NOW WHERE WE'RE GONNA BE PROBABLY TRYING TO KEEP OUR CONTRACTED COSTS FLAT, UM, VERSUS TRYING TO LOWER THEM DOWN.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S AN ONGOING PROCESS THAT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE ON WITH, BUT I, I'M HAPPY TO GET WITH YOU AND SHARE SOME OF THAT.
AND LASTLY, UM, THE 73 MILLION OVER WHAT WE BUDGETED FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS, WHAT, WHAT PLAN IS, IS BEING PUT IN PLACE AS WE SEE THE MONEY GROW MONTH OVER MONTH THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE NOT HITTING THESE SUBSTANTIAL NUMBERS OF OVER BUDGETING.
I MEAN, THESE NUMBERS ARE PRETTY STAGGERING WHEN YOU LOOK AT THEM.
UM, SO IS THERE A PLAN THAT HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO IMPLEMENT? OR IS THERE JUST KIND OF FREE REIGN WITH THAT MONEY RIGHT NOW, UM, THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO THAT'S GETTING US TO THIS POINT? MM-HMM
SO, UM, THE, THE FIRE CHIEF HAD COME TO, UM, THE QUARTERLY, UM, BRIEFINGS ON THE OVERTIME THAT WERE PART OF THE BUDGET AND FISCAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, UM, OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.
AND HE'S TALKED ABOUT SOME INITIATIVES THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS DOING.
UM, UH, HE'S GONNA BE ALSO PRESENTING PART OF THE DEPARTMENT BUDGET WORKSHOPS IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS.
UM, AND SO HE'LL, HE'LL PROBABLY BE THE BEST ONE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION ON.
UM, OPERATION ON THE OPERATIONAL SIDE, UM, BASED ON THE FIGURES, THE PROJECTION FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 OVERTIME BUDGET, UM, HAS COME DOWN ABOUT 5 MILLION COMPARED TO THE PRIOR YEAR, WHAT WE SPEND IN FISCAL YEAR 25.
SO THE GOAL, UM, OF WHAT THE FIRE CHIEF TALKS ABOUT IS, AS WE CAN INCREASE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION AND HAVE MORE CADETS GRADUATE THROUGH THE ACADEMY, UM, BASED ON THE NUMBER OF WRITING POSITIONS THEY NEED TO FILL BY INCREASING RECRUITMENT, THE GOAL IS TO BRING DOWN THAT OVERTIME COST AND CONTROLLER.
IF YOU WANTED TO ADD ANYTHING TO ANY OF THAT COMMENTARY, UH, YOU CAN HAVE MY TIME.
UM, IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO TO GO AND TRY TO FIND SAVINGS, RIGHT? UM, IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO WHEN WE NOTICE THAT WE'RE GOING 70 PLUS MILLION DOLLARS OVER ON OVERTIME IN ONE YEAR TO TRY TO BRING THAT DOWN THE FOLLOWING YEAR, RIGHT? THOSE EFFORTS ARE ADMIRABLE WHEN IT COMES TO BUDGETING, RIGHT? WHEN IT COMES TO ADDING UP THE NUMBERS GOING AND CUTTING AN OVERTIME SPEND IN HALF WHEN NONE OF THE STRUCTURAL CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO OPERATIONS HAVE ACTUALLY TAKEN PLACE MAKES NO SENSE.
AND SO IT'S GOOD THAT, THAT WERE $5 MILLION LOWER THAN LAST YEAR.
WE'RE STILL, I THINK THE NUMBER'S $34 MILLION OVER THE BUDGET THAT GOT PASSED FOR FIRE.
I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME BECAUSE THAT WAS LAST MONTH.
WHAT ARE WE DOING? AND IF WE LOOK AT THE, YOU KNOW, THE THREE BIGGEST, UH, YOU KNOW, OVERTIME, UH, SPENDERS,
[03:05:01]
I WON'T SAY LIKE VIOLATORS OR OFFENDERS, 'CAUSE AGAIN, THEY'RE DOING THEIR JOB, THEY'RE KEEPING US SAFE, THEY'RE PICKING UP OUR TRASH, BUT SOLID WASTE OVERTIME DIDN'T GO UP.IT'S, IT'S FLAT OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, BUT WE JUST KEEP BUDGETING TOO LITTLE OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
POLICE, THEY'RE RIGHT AT THEIR FIVE YEAR AVERAGE ON OVERTIME.
WE'RE JUST BUDGETING FAR TOO LITTLE FOR IT.
FIRE IS IS THE ONE EXCEPTION THEIR OVERTIME CONTINUES TO GO UP.
IN TERMS OF COMPARISON TO THE FIVE YEAR BUDGET, AGAIN, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THE FIVE, THE $5 MILLION REDUCTION, UH, FROM LAST YEAR.
BUT THAT'S 5 MILLION ON A MUCH LARGER PILE THAT HASN'T BEEN ADDRESSED.
THE SAME THING WITH THE CATEGORY MANAGEMENT SAVINGS.
AGAIN, WE POINTED THIS OUT TO Y'ALL A YEAR AGO.
THIS TIME IT'S ADMIRABLE TO PURSUE THESE EFFORTS TO TRY AND SAVE MONEY, BUT TO GO AND PUT A NEGATIVE $17 MILLION PLUG IN THE BUDGET THAT NO DEPARTMENT IS HELD TO, RIGHT? WHETHER IT'S THE COUNCIL DEPARTMENT, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE, NONE OF US HAD LIKE, HEY, YOU HAVE TO GO GET THIS MUCH SAVINGS SOMEWHERE.
WE JUST HAVE A NEGATIVE $17 MILLION FIGURE SITTING OUT THERE THAT WASN'T REALISTIC TO BEGIN WITH.
AND THAT YOU'RE REALIZING IN THESE REPORTS IS NOT REALISTIC TODAY.
LIKE WE HAVE TO MAKE SENSIBLE CHOICES AND REALISTIC CHOICES WHEN WE'RE BUDGETING.
UH, WE CAN'T BUDGET ON FAIRYTALES, WE CAN'T BUDGET ON HOPES AND DREAMS. UH, THEY HAVE TO BE REAL HARD NUMBERS THAT, THAT WE CAN KEEP TO THAT.
ULTIMATELY, WHEN WE GET TO THE END OF THE YEAR, WE'RE NOT SAYING WE'RE SPENDING, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR FUND BALANCE DOWN 180 PLUS MILLION DOLLARS OR A HUNDRED AND I THINK IT WAS $17 MILLION MORE THAN WHAT YOU SAID IN Y'ALL'S BUDGET THAT YOU PASSED.
UM, AGAIN, THIS STUFF WAS HIGHLY PREDICTABLE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THIS 180 PLUS MILLION DOLLARS, FIRST OF ALL, 76 OF IT WAS WHAT Y'ALL PASSED, RIGHT? SO YOU ALREADY PLANNED FOR A $76 MILLION REDUCTION IN THE FUND BALANCE.
ANOTHER $50 MILLION PLUS IS ON THIS OVERTIME THING, WHICH YOU ALL KNEW ABOUT.
ANOTHER $50 MILLION PLUS IS IN, UH, THE TAX SITUATION WHERE YOU BUDGETED A BIG NUMBER IN REVENUE THAT WAS NEVER GONNA COME THROUGH IN REALITY WITHOUT IMPACTING THE TAX RATE.
AND ANOTHER 17 PLUS MILLION DOLLARS TODAY, LIKE ALL THOSE ALONE MAKE UP THIS 180 PLUS MILLION DOLLARS.
AND THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT ALL OF YOU WERE MADE AWARE OF BEFORE YOU PASSED THIS BUDGET.
LIKE, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS STUFF AND TAKE THIS STUFF SERIOUSLY.
AND THANK YOU BOTH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT OVERTIME COSTS FOR HFD AND HPD, UM, I DO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE MANY EVENTS THAT THEY ARE WORKING OVERTIME FOR BOTH DEPARTMENTS THAT WE ARE GETTING REIMBURSED FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THAT'S JUST GOING BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND AND NOT GOING BACK TO THOSE TWO DEPARTMENTS AND NOT, WE'RE NOT OFFSETTING THE OVERTIME COSTS BY SHOWING THAT WE ACTUALLY GOT REIMBURSED FOR SOME OF THOSE.
SO IT WOULD BE GREAT, UM, TO GET THOSE NUMBERS TO FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH ARE WE ACTUALLY NOT ACCOUNTING FOR IN THIS UPCOMING BUDGET, HOW MUCH WE PROJECT THAT WE'RE GOING TO SPEND JUST IN NORMAL OPERATIONS DOING OVERTIME WORK THAT MAYBE WE NEED TO INCREASE THAT BUDGET VERSUS THE MONEY THAT'S SHOWING THAT THEY'RE DOING IN OVERTIME, BUT IN FACT, WE'RE ACTUALLY GETTING REIMBURSED FOR.
AND SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE DISCUSSED MANY TIMES IN THE PAST, AND I THINK WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF ACTUALLY SHOWING, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY GETTING REIMBURSED FOR BECAUSE IT'S JUST GOING BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND AND THOSE NUMBERS ARE NOT SHOWING AN OFFSET IN THE OVERTIME.
SO JUST TO UNDERSTAND THE REQUEST, YOU WANNA KNOW HOW MUCH WE RECEIVED IN REIMBURSEMENTS FROM OVERTIME SERVICES THAT FLOW BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND BUT NOT, ARE NOT ATTRIBUTED TO THOSE DEPARTMENTS? YES.
'CAUSE THEY'RE WORKING EVENTS, THEY'RE DOING, YOU KNOW, HFD IS DOING WILD LAND OPERATIONS MM-HMM
WE'RE GETTING REIMBURSED FOR A LOT OF THOSE OPERATIONS MM-HMM
AND IT'S JUST SHOWING OVERTIME, WHICH I MEAN, YES, THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER OVERTIME COSTS THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING REIMBURSED FOR, BUT THERE'S SOME DELTA THERE OF WHAT WE'RE GETTING REIMBURSED FOR IN BOTH DEPARTMENTS THAT IT'S NOT SHOWING AS OFFSET IN THE OVERTIME.
SO, UM, WE CAN WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENTS TO, UM, BETTER HIGHLIGHT THAT IN THEIR BUDGET WORKSHOPS.
IT IS, IT IS GOING BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND, BUT IT IS BEING ABSOLUTELY BOOKED TO THE DEPARTMENT THAT WORKED THE OVERTIME.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S REVENUE AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S REVENUE, YOU CAN SEE IN THOSE REVENUES FOR THOSE SPECIFIC DEPARTMENTS HOW MUCH REVENUE'S COMING IN.
FOR EXAMPLE, FOR HPD, UM, THE OVERTIME THAT THEY WORK AT THE AIRPORT, IT'S ABOUT $7 MILLION OUT OF THE 33 MILLION THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO THAT REVENUE, $7 MILLION COMES FROM THE AIRPORT TO THE GENERAL FUND, BUT BOOK SPECIFICALLY TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN, WE CAN DEFINITELY HAVE THEM HIGHLIGHT IN THE BUDGET WORKSHOPS.
[03:10:02]
COUNCILMAN ALCORN.AND WE DID HAVE A LENGTHY CONVERSATION ABOUT THE, THE TWO ITEMS YESTERDAY, THE, THE FIREFIGHTER OR, UM, THE FIRE BUDGET AND THE, THE $17.2 MILLION.
YOU KNOW, I WAS DISAPPOINTED AND, AND YEAH, WE, IT WAS A $4 MILLION ENGAGEMENT.
THE, THE ESTIMATES WERE HIGH ON WHAT WE WOULD SAVE ON THE CON ON THE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT SIDE.
I DO THINK WE'RE SAVING SOME, ACCORDING TO JED AND THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS, UM, WHEN HE'S GONNA QUANTIFY THAT NUMBER FOR ME.
BUT IN THE GENERAL FUND, LIKE MELISSA SAID, IT, WE ALREADY HAD VERY LOW PRICING ON A LOT OF THESE CONTRACTS.
SO WHEN WE, EVEN THOUGH WE WERE COMBINING THEM AND BEING MORE STRATEGIC IN HOW WE WERE PROCURING THINGS, OUR PRICES WERE ALREADY LOW AND WE WEREN'T REALLY GAINING THIS SAVINGS.
AND I, I'VE BEEN TO THIS MOVIE BEFORE AND MAYOR PARKER'S TIME, WE HAD A CONSULTANT TELL US, YOU KNOW, 20, YOU'RE GONNA SAVE $22 MILLION.
IT WAS A LINE ITEM IN THE BUDGET, IT DIDN'T MATERIALIZE.
SO I THINK WHEN WE'RE WORKING WITH CONSULTANTS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO KIND OF ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK WE GAINED A LOT, WHAT, FROM WHAT I HEARD JED SAY YESTERDAY, WE GAINED A LOT AND I THINK PROBABLY GOT OUR MONEY'S WORTH IN OPERATIONAL.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE DASHBOARD THAT THEY'VE SET UP, UM, HOW WE'RE MORE STRATEGICALLY LOOKING AT CONTRACTING.
I THINK ALL OF THAT IS GOING TO REALLY HELP US IN THE FUTURE AND, AND COULD INDEED YIELD SOME SAVINGS.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT UNTIL YOU GET IN THERE AND REALLY START DOING IT, YOU, YOU'RE NOT SEEING EXACTLY WHAT, WHAT COULD HAPPEN ON THE OVERTIME SPEND IN, IN THIS COMING BUDGET WITHOUT GIVING ANYTHING AWAY.
UM, WILL IT BE, UH, A, A DIFFERENT WAY OF LOOKING AT OVERTIME? SO YEAH, I KNOW WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.
WE ARE DEFINITELY GONNA TAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO HOW WE BUDGET FOR OVERTIME.
UM, I KNOW WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT, UM, OVER THE QUARTERLY REPORTS THAT NECESSARILY THE AMOUNT THAT YOU BUDGET FOR OVERTIME DOES NOT NECESSARILY OBVIOUSLY EQUAL TO WHAT IS SPENT ON OVERTIME.
THERE'S A LOT OF TIMES WHERE WE HAVE BASE PAY SAVINGS OR SAVINGS IN OTHER AREAS IN THOSE DEPARTMENTS THAT CAN OFFSET THE OVERTIME.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING, OBVIOUSLY WE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT.
IT'S, IT SHOWS UP IN THESE QUARTERLY SLIDES ON OVERTIME, HOW MUCH SAVINGS THERE IS AND OTHER AREAS THAT CAN HELP OFFSET THAT.
UM, SO THAT'S PART OF OUR ANALYSIS AND APPROACH AS WE GO TOWARDS, UH, RELEASING THE BUDGET NEXT WEEK.
AND THANK YOU BOTH FOR THE PRESENTATIONS.
I WANTED TO FOCUS ON $15 MILLION, UH, LESS IN SPENDING ON THE ROADSIDE DITCH TREE ESTABLISHMENT PROGRAM.
YOU BOTH ADDRESS THAT IN YOUR REPORTS, BUT THERE'S, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE.
UM, MR. CONTROLLER IN YOURS, YOU SAY IT'S $15 MILLION LESS DUE TO PROJECT DELAYS AND DIRECTOR DEBOWSKI, YOURS SAYS $15, $15 MILLION LESS, UM, DUE TO LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED CONTRACT COSTS.
SO HOW, HOW SHOULD WE RECONCILE THOSE TWO STATEMENTS IN DIRECTOR DEBOWSKI? I'LL ASK YOU FIRST.
UM, I THINK THAT THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT CAN PROBABLY SPEAK TO EXACTLY HOW MUCH THEY'VE DELIVERED ON THAT, UH, PROGRAM.
UM, BUT IN TALKING WITH THEM WHEN MAKING THE PROJECTIONS IN THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT, UM, THEY HAVE MET THEIR METRICS AND THEIR GOALS FOR WHAT THEY WERE PLANNING TO GET DONE AS FAR AS THE NUMBER OF PROJECTS FOR THE YEAR, BUT DUE TO SAVINGS ON THE CONTRACT COSTS, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE SEEING THE $15 MILLION, BUT WE CAN HAVE THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT FOLLOW UP ON THE SPECIFICS OF THE DELIVERABLES.
AND MR. CONTROLLER? YEAH, I STAND BY.
UH, I CAN GET YOU MORE INFORMATION AND I AGREE THAT PUBLIC WORKS WOULD BE BETTER SUITED TO GO INTO THE DETAILS.
UH, DIRECTOR, YOU SPOKE ABOUT HOLIDAY BUYBACK PROGRAM FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AS ONE OF THE CONTRIBUTORS TO THE INCREASED COST.
CAN YOU GIMME THE DETAILS ON THAT PROGRAM? SURE.
UM, THE HOLIDAY BUYBACK PROGRAM, UM, IT IS AN ITEM THAT IS, UH, CONTEMPLATED IN THE CONTRACT, UM, THAT STATES THAT IF THE, UM, DEPENDING ON YOUR AMOUNT OF SICK LEAVE USAGE THAT YOU USE, UM, AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, YOU CAN BE ELIGIBLE TO HAVE SOME OF YOUR HOLIDAYS BOUGHT BACK FROM YOU.
UM, THE CONTRACT SPECIFICALLY TALKS ABOUT WHAT IS, UM, THE, THE PARAMETERS OF HOW THAT PROGRAM WORKS, AND IT ALSO SAYS THAT IT'S UP TO THE CITY TO DECIDE HOW MUCH WE BUDGET FOR THAT PROGRAM.
UM, AT THE TIME OF THE ADOPTED BUDGET, WE DIDN'T FEEL LIKE WE COULD AFFORD TO, UM, PUT THE $1.5 MILLION THAT HISTORICALLY IN THE, UNDER THE PREVIOUS CONTRACT MANY YEARS AGO WAS IN THE, IN THE PROGRAM.
UM, IN WORKING WITH THE FIRE CHIEF,
[03:15:01]
UM, WHAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT IS, OF COURSE, IF YOU'RE USING SICK LEAVE, THEN YOU NEED ANOTHER FIREFIGHTER TO COME IN AND WORK THAT SHIFT, AND THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY INCREASE THE OVERTIME COST.SO THE IDEA OF NOW PARTICIPATING IN THE HOLIDAY BUYBACK PROGRAM, THE THOUGHT IS THAT INSTEAD OF BRINGING, INSTEAD OF SOMEONE CALLING IN SICK AND SOMEONE, YOU KNOW, COMING IN ON A TIME AND A HALF BASICALLY, OR DEPENDING ON THE DAY, COULD BE TWO TIMES PAY.
UM, THAT IT WOULD BE, UM, LESS EXPENSIVE TO USE THE HOLIDAY BUY FUNDING FOR HOLIDAY BUYBACK AND STILL COVER THE SAME NUMBER OF SHIFTS.
COUNCIL ALCORN, I, I MOVE TO ACCEPT THE QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPORT DATED MARCH 31ST, 2026.
SECOND CAST, MOTION MADE, AND SECOND.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
WOULD YOU PLEASE, UH, PROCEED WITH THE CONSENT UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY, ITEM ONE HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION UNDER THE ACCEPT WORK CATEGORY.NEED A MOTION FOR ITEMS TWO AND THREE? CAST
MOTION PASSES UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF BIDS CATEGORY ITEM SEVEN HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
THOSE OPPOSED A MOTION PASSES.
NEED A MOTION FOR ITEMS FIVE AND SIX? CASTEX ITEM MOVE.
THOSE OPPOSED NAME MOTION PASSES UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY SINCE YOUR LIST WAS DISTRIBUTED.
ITEMS 8 11, 16, 17 AND 21 HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.
AGAIN, THOSE NUMBERS ARE 8, 11, 16, 17, AND 21.
ITEM 25 HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED, BUT WILL BE CONSIDERED IF IT'S RECEIVED BEFORE THE END OF THE MEETING.
ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION ARE 9, 10, 11, 20, 22, AND 24.
AGAIN, 9, 10, 11, 20, 22 AND 24.
NEED A VOTE ON THE BALLOT? I NEED A VOTE.
[CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA]
CONSIDERATION.NEED A MOTION FOR ITEM ONE? CASTEX ATE A MOVE.
YOU WANT BEFORE VOTE OR AFTER? UH, BEFORE SIGN? SURE.
UM, THIS IS FOR, OR THE APPROVAL OF TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICES CITYWIDE.
UM, MOST OF THESE PROJECTS ARE FUNDED THROUGH OUR COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS.
AND WE HAVE A SITUATION NOW WHERE, UM, PRICES HAVE TRIPLED UNDER OUR CURRENT CONTRACT.
AND WE'VE HAD TO PAUSE, UM, ALL NEW, UM, NEIGHBORHOODS GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
AND I KNOW A LOT OF OTHER DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE, ARE LOOKING AT THAT AS WELL.
I KNOW DIRECTOR MACKAY IS WORKING ON THIS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IT, MAYOR, TO YOUR ATTENTION SO WE CAN PRIORITIZE THIS.
UM, WE HAVE MANY NEIGHBORHOODS WAITING ON, UM, SPEED CUSHIONS, BUT IT'S JUST NOT FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE TO PAY TRIPLE THE COST THAT IT SHOULD COST RIGHT NOW.
SO ANYTHING WE COULD DO TO GET NEW CONTRACTORS ON THIS TO REDUCE THOSE COSTS, IT WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
THIS IS A BIG PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE AND MANY NEIGHBORHOODS REALLY WANT THESE, UM, SPEED CUSHIONS.
THANK YOU MAYOR AARON, I WANT TO ECHO, UM, VICE MAYOR PROM'S COMMENTS.
UH, IT'S GOOD TO SEE THESE, UH, CUSHIONS GET FINALIZED.
UH, THERE ARE A NUMBER, PARTICULARLY IN DISTRICT H THAT ARE FUNDED, DESIGNED AND JUST READY FOR CONSTRUCTION.
AND THESE WERE NEIGHBORHOOD DRIVEN PROJECTS WITH, UH, THE SIGNATURES AND, AND THE COMMENTS AND THE FEEDBACK.
SO, UH, WE HEAR FROM CONSTITUENTS FREQUENTLY IN MY OFFICE ABOUT, UH, THE STATUS UPDATES.
AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE ALMOST 20 IN QUEUE.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO BRING THAT TO THE FOREFRONT AND, UH, MAKE SURE YOU'RE AWARE THAT, AND, YOU KNOW, IN DISTRICT H, THESE ARE, UH, THESE ARE HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE READY, READY TO GO, JUST WAITING ON A CONTRACTOR.
ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES AS OPPOSED TO ANY MOTION PASSES.
[03:20:02]
NEEDS A MOTION TO MOVE.MOTION TAG BY COUNCILMAN THOMAS.
OUR HOUSING AFFORDABILITY COMMITTEE CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY D. THOMAS, THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TEAM, AND EVERYONE WHO HAS WORKED TO HELP BRING THIS ITEM FORWARD.
THIS PROJECT REPRESENTS EXACTLY THE KIND OF MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY CENTERED HOUSING INVESTMENT WE NEED IN DISTRICT D AND ACROSS THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
TRINITY E SENIOR WILL HELP SUPPORT QUALITY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR SENIORS IN THE THIRD WARD AREA, WHILE ALSO ALIGNING WITH BROADER NEIGHBORHOOD STABILITY, AFFORDABILITY, AND COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT GOALS.
IT IS PART OF THE COMMITMENT TO KEEP THE RESIDENTS IN THE CUNY HOMES IN THEIR FAMILIAR SURROUNDINGS.
AND I WANT TO THANK THE ION COMMUNITY ADVISORY COUNCIL AND ITS CHAIR CONNIE COCHRANE AND SAM DK WITH RICE UNIVERSITY FOR THEIR WORK AND SUPPORT IN HELPING THIS PROJECT CROSS THE FINISH LINE WITH SIGNIFICANT FUNDING.
AND PROJECTS LIKE THIS DON'T JUST HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
THEY REQUIRE PERSISTENCE, PARTNERSHIP AND COORDINATION AMONG THE CITY, INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND THE RESIDENTS WHO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING AFFORDABILITY WHILE INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND I AM GRATEFUL TO ALL WHO HELPED BRING THIS ITEM FORWARD.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE POSITIVE IMPACT THIS INVESTMENT WILL HAVE FOR SENIORS, FAMILIES, AND THE BROADER THIRD WARD COMMUNITY.
I'M SURE A LOT OF THE SENIORS WILL NOT WANNA GO BACK TO THE CUNY HOMES, BUT CERTAINLY WE WANNA PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO STAY IN THE AREAS THAT THEY ARE FAMILIAR.
SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH AND I CERTAINLY SUPPORT THIS ITEM.
THANKS FOR YOUR WORK COUNCIL MEMBER, THOMAS.
SO CONGRATULATIONS IN ADVANCE.
COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ AND AND TO ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES.
YOU MAY RECALL TRINITY EAST CAME BEFORE US.
I BELIEVE IT WAS A 9% DEAL, UM, EARLIER.
AND IT ALSO HIGHLIGHTS THE PARTNERSHIP, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, THE PROJECT BASED VOUCHERS.
UM, SO YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
IT'LL BE A JEWEL IN DISTRICT D.
UM, AND I THINK IT WILL JUST A DEMONSTRATION TO SHOW THAT WE'RE NOT, THE INTENTION IS NOT TO DISPLACE, BUT TO KEEP PEOPLE IN THEIR BELOVED NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS IN MAKING SURE THIS GETS ACROSS THE LINE.
THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
[MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS]
MEMBER ALCORN.UM, TOMORROW THERE'LL BE LAYING OUT THE, AT PLANNING COMMISSION.
THEY'LL BE LAYING OUT THE OPEN SPACE ORDINANCE REVISIONS, UM, AT PLANNING COMMISSION.
WE, I KNOW WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THAT AT BFA, SO PAY ATTENTION TO THAT.
THAT'S ONE OF OUR BIG SOURCES OF MONEY FOR PARKS.
AND, UH, HAPPY TO SAY THE YEAR 2 CENTS SURVEY'S BEEN OUT FOR, YOU KNOW, ABOUT A WEEK OR A LITTLE LESS THAN A WEEK, AND WE'VE GOT LIKE 600 RESPONSES.
AND DAN POTTER, THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE AT THE KINDER INSTITUTE LUNCH, DAN POTTER IS THE ONE THAT HELPED ME WITH THIS SURVEY.
HE BRINGS A LOT OF LIVELINESS TO, TO THE SURVEY.
WE ASKED A LOT OF OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS ABOUT DEPARTMENTS AND, AND PEOPLE COULD WRITE COMMENTS.
AND THAT'S REALLY MY FAVORITE PART OF THE SURVEY IS KIND OF READING THROUGH THE COMMENTS.
BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT WE HEAR ALL THE TIME ON GARBAGE CONSISTENT ON TIME PICKUP, MORE RESOURCES AND CAPACITY, BETTER QUALITY OF SERVICE LIBRARIES, MORE, MORE FUNDING MATERIALS AND MODERNIZATION, LONGER HOURS, UH, PARKS.
UH, PICK UP THE TRASH CANS, YOU KNOW, FIX THE BROKE BROKEN PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT.
UM, WANT MORE LIGHTING AND SECURITY AT PARKS.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL THE THINGS WE HEAR, BUT IT'S, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THEM KIND OF CONSOLIDATED IN THE SURVEY AND WE'LL BE HAVING THE KINDER, UH, INSTITUTE COME AND PRESENT ALL THE FINDINGS WHEN THEY'RE, WHEN THEY'RE DONE.
BUT IT'S BEEN VERY INSTRUCTIVE SO FAR AND WILL HELP US OUT.
SO THANKS FOR, THANKS FOR GETTING IT OUT TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
[03:25:01]
YOU, MAYOR.I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE HOUSTON PRAYER BREAKFAST THIS MORNING.
IF YOU WERE, THERE WAS JUST A FABULOUS EVENT TO HAVE THAT MANY INDIVIDUALS IN THE ROOM.
UM, JUST A GREAT EVENT FOR OUR CITY.
IT JUST SHOWS THE TRUE UNITY, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, HATE TO BRING UP A BAD SUBJECT, BUT SPEAKING OF BIKE LANES, COUNCIL MEMBER EVANS AZZ.
UM, THERE ARE STILL CONCERNS IN THE COMMUNITY WITH THE BUSINESSES, WITH THE TRASH CANS IN THE BIKE LANES WITH THE LACK OF USE IN THE BIKE LANES WITH THE SAFETY HAZARDS, JUST THAT WHOLE BIG PICTURE.
JUST WANTED TO BRING IT BACK TO THE TOP BECAUSE I CONTINUE TO GET, UH, CORRESPONDENCE QUESTIONING IF ANYTHING'S GONNA BE DONE ABOUT THAT.
COUNCIL, MAYOR SHABAZZ, EVAN SHABAZZ,
AND, UH, COLLEAGUES, AGAIN, I WANNA BEGIN BY THANKING THE RESIDENTS, LEADERS, CIVIC LEADERS, STAKEHOLDERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO SHOWED UP, UH, LAST EVENING TO SHARE THEIR CONCERNS REGARDING LODGE BIKE LANES.
WHEN RESIDENTS TAKE THE TIME TO COME OUT, SPEAK UP AND ADVOCATE FOR THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO LISTEN.
THEIR CONCERNS AROUND PUBLIC SAFETY, QUALITY OF LIFE, MOBILITY, AND NEIGHBORHOOD IMPACT MATTER.
AND MY OFFICE WILL CONTINUE WORKING TO MAKE SURE THOSE VOICES REMAIN AT THE CENTER OF THE CONVERSATION.
AND CERTAINLY, I I JUST WANT TO JUST SAY HOW IMPORTANT THIS ISSUE IS.
PEOPLE TALK TO ME ALL THE TIME ABOUT THOSE BIKE LANES, AND I WANNA BE CLEAR, I AM NOT ANTIBI LANE.
THEY ARE NEEDED AND NECESSARY IN SOME AREAS, BUT IT'S ALSO A MATTER OF RESPECT FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THAT NEIGHBORHOOD WAS NOT ENGAGED, UH, REGARDING THAT.
AND I THINK THAT SHOULD BE AFFORDED EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD TO, UH, TALK ABOUT THOSE THINGS THAT IMPACT THEIR MOBILITY.
AND SO I, I'M WANT TO, I'M GONNA MOVE FORWARD.
I ALSO WANNA RECAP A VERY ACTIVE AND SUCCESSFUL WEEKEND IN DISTRICT D.
THIS PAST SATURDAY, WE SUPPORTED THE SOUTH UNION PROUD CIVIC ASSOCIATION AND COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS FOR THE LET'S CLEAN H TOWN SOUTH UNION VOLUNTEER CLEANUP AT ZALI SCALES PARK.
THIS WAS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP STEWARDSHIP AND RESIDENTS WORKING TOGETHER TO IMPROVE THE COMMUNITY.
WE ALSO SUPPORTED IN THE CLEANER COMMUNITIES ILLEGAL DUMPING CLEANUP ON ALLISON ROAD, HOSTED BY THE HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DISTRICT D AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
ILLEGAL DUMPING IS NOT JUST A NUISANCE, IT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY, QUALITY OF LIFE AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN.
I WANT TO THANK EVERY PARTNER AND VOLUNTEER WHO CAME OUT TO HELP ADDRESS THE ISSUE DIRECTLY.
I INVITE ANY COMMUNITY THAT WANTS TO SUPPORT IN CLEANING UP THEIR AREA TO PLEASE REACH OUT TO MY OFFICE BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT IS IMPORTANT AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO DO TOGETHER.
AND, UH, LATER THAT DAY, WE CELEBRATED THE TSU AVIATION HANGAR RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY AT ELLINGTON FIELD.
THE NEW STATE OF THE ART AVIATION HANGAR REPRESENTS A MAJOR INVESTMENT IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, PILOT TRAINING, AND HOUSTON'S GROWING AVIATION AND AEROSPACE SECTOR.
I WANNA CONGRATULATE THE TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AND THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEMS ON THIS IMPORTANT MILESTONE.
THAT WAS A BEAUTIFUL EVENT TO WITNESS.
THEY GOT 12 NEW AIRPLANES, A BEAUTIFUL NEW HANGAR AT TERENCE FONTAINE, WHO WAS THE DIRECTOR OF THAT AVIATION DEPARTMENT, HAS DONE A FABULOUS JOB.
I I CERTAINLY, UH, WANNA HIGHLIGHT HIM, UH, BECAUSE, AND THEN I HAD TO SHARE THAT I FOUND OUT HE WAS A PILOT AND HE WENT OBNOXIOUS IN MY MIND BECAUSE THAT RIGHT THERE JUST GAVE ME A, A PERSON I COULD REACH OUT TO THAT I KNOW HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THE AVIATION FIELD.
UH, I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A MAJOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WIN FOR DISTRICT D.
TARGET HAS OPENED A NEW $265 MILLION RECEIVE CENTER IN HOUSTON, A 1.2 MILLION SQUARE FOOT FACILITY THAT WILL CREATE 185 JOBS TO START NEARLY 200 NEW JOBS AND STRENGTHEN THE COMPANY'S NATIONAL SUPPLY CHAIN.
THIS KIND OF INVESTMENT MATTERS, IT MEANS JOBS OPPORTUNITY AND CONTINUED ECONOMIC GROWTH RIGHT HERE IN THE DISTRICT D THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.
THAT FURTHER SUBSTANTIATES THAT, UH, UPCOMING, WE HAVE THE EVENING IN THE PARK AT HERMAN PARK CONSERVANCY, UM, WHERE WE WILL GO, WHERE WE CAN BENEFIT SUPPORTING
[03:30:01]
HERMAN PARK CONSERVANCY.THAT WILL BE TOMORROW, UH, AT 6:30 PM AT HERMAN PARK, 1700 HERMAN DRIVE, AND THAT'S GONNA BE A FABULOUS EVENT.
UH, THIS YEAR'S EVENT WILL HONOR KRISTY AND CHRIS BRADSHAW WITH MEREDITH MARSHALL AND ISHMA MUHAMMAD SERVING AS YVETTE CHAIRS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THE HERMAN PARK AND CONSERVANCY, AND ITS CONTINUED WORK, PRESERVING AND ENHANCING ONE OF HOUSTON'S MOST TREASURED PUBLIC SPACES.
DISTRICT D CONTINUES TO LEAD THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, PUBLIC SAFETY, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND MEANINGFUL INVESTMENT, AND WILL BE COMPLETE WHEN WE MOVE THOSE BIKE LANES.
UH, THAT, THAT CONCLUDES WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.
YESTERDAY I ATTENDED THE PORT COMMISSION MEETING WHERE THEY FORMALLY LAUNCHED AN INITIATIVE CALLED ANCHORED IN ACTION, WHICH AIMS TO IMPROVE THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE ALONG THE PORT.
A COUPLE OF THOSE ARE IN DISTRICT H, AND I WANT TO COMMEND THEM FOR THEIR APPROACH TO THIS.
THEY DID SOME EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UH, ALONG, UH, THE PORT.
THEY'VE PUT TOGETHER A VERY THOUGHTFUL, DETAILED NEIGHBORHOOD BY NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, MENU OF WHAT FOLKS WOULD LIKE TO SEE, HOW THEIR COMMUNITIES CAN BE ENHANCED, AND WAYS THAT CORPORATIONS AND INDUSTRIES CAN PARTNER TO, UH, INVEST IN THE AREAS AND THE NEIGHBORHOODS ALONG THE PORT.
UH, THEY'RE PUTTING UP, UH, AN INITIAL $1 MILLION INVESTMENT INTO THIS PLAN, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THEM, UH, TO HELP IMPROVE THE NEIGHBORHOODS ALONG THE PORT.
BUT THEY, THEY REALLY DID A THOROUGH AND INTENTIONAL JOB IN TRYING TO BE SPECIFIC TO THE, THE EACH, EACH COMMUNITY, UM, THAT ABUTS THE PORT BECAUSE THEY ARE A NEIGHBOR TO A NUMBER OF, OF RESIDENTS.
AND SO I WANNA COMMIT THEM FOR THAT AND CONGRATULATE THEM ON THE LAUNCH OF ANCHORED IN ACTION.
I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE PEPPER GOODWIN.
SHE'S THE DISTRICT H'S CHIP INTERN TODAY ACTUALLY IS HER, HER LAST DAY.
AND SHE HAS BEEN A FANTASTIC ADDITION TO THE AUDIENCE, UH, OR TO THE AUDIENCE, TO THE OFFICE.
UM, AND EVERY TIME, YOU KNOW, AN OPPORTUNITY HAS COME UP, OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE, UH, THE COMMUNITY OR, OR BE PRESENT.
UH, SHE HAS SAID YES AND I WANNA WISH HER WELL AND CONTINUED SUCCESS.
AND, UH, SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BIKE LANES THIS MORNING, I DO WANT TO REMIND MY COLLEAGUES, UH, I DID HOST A COMMUNITY LISTENING SESSION ON 11TH STREET, UH, WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN OUT ON 11TH STREET.
AND WE HEARD DIRECTLY FROM THE COMMUNITY, UH, A LOT OF MY CONSTITUENTS WERE THERE.
UH, THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE FOLKS, UH, DID NOT WANT THAT PROJECT REMOVED.
AND I HAVE ALL THE FEEDBACK, I'M HAPPY TO SEND IT TO ANYBODY WHO WANTS IT.
BUT, UM, THE DATA'S BEEN CLEAR ON THE SAFETY SIDE OF THAT PROJECT, AND, UM, I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYBODY WHO IS CURIOUS, UH, TO REACH OUT, HAPPY TO PROVIDE IT TO THEM.
UM, BUT FROM THE FOLKS THAT LIVE IN DISTRICT H NEARBY AND THE ONES THAT LIVE IN DISTRICT C THAT WERE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THAT PROJECT OR NEAR THAT PROJECT, UH, FROM GETTING KIDS TO AND FROM SCHOOL OR CONNECTING TO OTHER GREENWAYS AND HIKING BIKE TRAILS, UM, IT WAS VERY CLEAR THAT DAY THAT FOLKS APPRECIATED THAT PROJECT AND, AND WANTED IT TO STAY.
COULD I INQUIRE HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE THERE ABOUT? I WOULD SAY BETWEEN A HUNDRED TO 150, SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN.
IT WAS ACTUALLY ON THE STREET.
IT WAS AT THE CHURCH RIGHT THERE, UH, AT 11TH.
JUST ACROSS FROM HOG MIDDLE SCHOOL.
YES, IT WAS ON A SATURDAY MORNING.
DID YOU, UH, DID FIRE POLICE PARTICIPATE IN, IN TERMS OF THEIR INABILITY TO GO DOWN 11TH? PUBLIC WORKS WAS PRESENT.
I'M NOT, I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND CHECK SURE.
AND I WANNA SAY COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD SHOWED UP AND WE ALSO HAD SOME STAFF MEMBERS FROM A COUPLE OTHER OFFICES AS WELL.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, SHERIFF MEMBER FLICKING HERE.
UH, THIS PAST MONDAY NIGHT, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, STATE REPRESENTATIVE CHARLES CUNNINGHAM, WE HOSTED A WORKSHOP TO EXPLAIN PROPERTY TAX.
WANTED TO THANK, UH, THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT AND SPECIFICALLY KYLE SCOTT AND MIKE SULLIVAN FOR HELPING ORGANIZE THIS.
UM, SATURDAY MAY 2ND FROM NINE TO
[03:35:01]
11, HOUSTON PARKS BOARD WILL HOST A POP-UP EVENT AT DILLON DUNCAN MEMORIAL SKATE PARK RESIDENTS ARE INVITED TO STOP BY TO REVIEW DESIGN BOARDS AND SHARE FEEDBACK ON POTENTIAL SKATE PARK IMPROVEMENTS.COMMUNITY SURVEY WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE TO GATHER ADDITIONAL PUBLIC INPUT.
AND, UH, THERE ARE ELECTRONIC RECYCLING EVENT WILL BE HAPPENING AT THE KINGWOOD, UH, METRO PARK AND RIDE THIS SATURDAY, STARTING AT NINE O'CLOCK OR AND ENDS AT THREE OR UNTIL THE TRUCKS ARE FULL.
SO PLEASE COME OUT AND, UM, GET ALL YOUR ELECTRONIC RECYCLING NEEDS.
UM, WANTED TO INVITE COLLEAGUES OUT TO THE SERVICE DELIVERY COMMITTEE MEETING TODAY AT 2:00 PM UM, WE'LL BE HEARING FROM DIRECTOR TREND WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
SHOULD BE GOING OVER, UM, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT PROGRAMS. JUST GIVE US A COMPREHENSIVE BREAKDOWN OF THE SERVICES THAT, UM, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT PROVIDE FOR, UM, THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UM, THEY ALSO GONNA BREAK DOWN YOU JUST HOW THE PROGRAMS ARE BROKEN DOWN WITH ON, UM, BUDGET.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, HOW THEY'RE SPENDING THE MONEY.
AND SO, UM, COME OUT AND HEAR FROM THE DI DIRECTOR TRAN TODAY AT TWO O'CLOCK IN CHAMBERS.
SO, OVER THE WEEKEND HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO RIDE IN THE X MS ONE 50, WHICH WAS A WONDERFUL EVENT, WAS ABLE TO ACHIEVE A PERSONAL GOAL OF MINE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, UH, PARTICIPATE IN AN EFFORT TO TRY TO RAISE AWARENESS AND HELP FIND A CURE FOR MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS.
I KNOW THOUSANDS OF HOUSTONIANS SUFFER FROM THIS, UH, DISEASE.
THE, UM, EVENT RA HAS RAISED SO FAR MORE THAN $9 MILLION.
I WAS ALSO PROUD TO BE PART OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON TEAM OF ABOUT 36 TEAM MEMBERS THAT TOGETHER WE RAISED 24 MORE THAN $24,000.
UH, SO THANK YOU TO THE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL WHO SUPPORTED THAT.
AND TO MAYOR WHITMEYER WHO GENEROUSLY MATCHED THE DONATIONS GIVEN BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, HUGE SHOUT OUT TO GREG BELL WITH THE CITY.
HE WORKS IN THE WELLNESS CENTER HERE.
UH, HE HANDLED ALL THE LOGISTICS FOR 36 TEAM MEMBERS, MEANING A HUGE TENT, COTS, FOODS, SNACKS, DRINKS, UH, THE WORKS.
AND WHATEVER WE ASKED, HE WAS ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
JUST A TREMENDOUS JOB BY TEAM CAPTAIN GREG BELL.
SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, NOT ONLY FOR YOUR WORK AT THE CITY, BUT FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS, UM, ORGANIZING THE RIDE.
SO, UM, ANYWAY, GREAT EXPERIENCE.
I DO WANNA SAY AS WELL THAT ON MONDAY I GOT TO SPEAK TO THE SENIOR CLASSES AT SAM HOUSTON HIGH SCHOOL.
UH, THEIR GOVERNMENT CLASSES WERE STUDYING, UM, HOW CITY GOVERNMENT WORKS, SO I WAS HAPPY TO LET THEM KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN.
SO WISH 'EM ALL LUCK, UH, TO THE GRADUATING CLASS, NOT ONLY OF SAM HOUSTON HIGH, BUT ALL OUR HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE AREA.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER THOMAS.
A NOTICE TO OUR RESIDENTS, MICROSURFACING HAS BEGUN.
HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS, UM, HA HAS INITIATED, UH, MICROSURFACING WITH A, ON OUR ASPHALT STREETS.
IT STARTED APRIL 24TH AND SHOULD CONCLUDE MAY 6TH NOTICES TO THE VARIOUS LOCATIONS WILL BE IN OUR UPCOMING NEWSLETTER AND ALSO SHARED WITH OUR CIVIC CLUBS.
SO, AS YOU KNOW, WITH IMPROVEMENTS, OFTEN COMES, UH, UH, SOME FRUSTRATION.
SO BE PATIENT WITH US AS WE WORK TO IMPROVE INFRASTRUCTURE IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
UH, I ALSO WANT TO JUST, UH, HIGHLIGHT THE WORK THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO DO AROUND, UM, HOUSTONIANS WHO ARE UNSHELTERED ON THE WEST SIDE.
AS YOU RECALL, UM, EASTER WEEKEND, WE HOSTED OUR WEST SIDE DAY OF CARE.
THAT WORK HAS CONTINUED, UH, WHAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AGAPE.
UM, ON SITE LAST WEEK, WE, THURSDAY AND FRIDAY CANVAS AN ADDITIONAL 22 PERSONS, UM, WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO ADD 12 ON THE HOUSING WAIT LIST.
AND 10 ARE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING ADDED TO HMIS, WHICH JUST SPEAKS TO OUR ONGOING WORK ON THE WEST SIDE, AND THAT WE NEED TO HAVE ATTENTION ON THE WEST SIDE TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE LIVING IN HIDDEN PARTS OF OUR CITY ARE ACTUALLY ABLE TO TAKE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I'M, I'M, I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR THE PARTNERSHIP AND THE ONGOING WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.
UM, I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT AS WELL, WE HAVE A PSA OUT ABOUT OUR TREE TRIMMING, UH, UM, EFFORTS ON THE WEST SIDE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECS DEPARTMENT, THE URBAN FORESTRY TEAM.
THEY ARE, UH, A MIGHTY TEAM COVERING THE ENTIRE CITY.
UM, WE HAD CLOSE TO 38 REQUESTS IN THE QUEUE.
WE HAVE CLEARED MOST OF THOSE.
WE HAVE 18, UM, REMAINING LOCATIONS FOR TREE TRIMMING.
AND IT'S A, IT'S A REQUEST OUR OFFICE
[03:40:01]
OFTEN RECEIVES, UM, FROM CONSTITUENTS.AND SO IF THERE ARE TREES THAT ARE HAZARDOUS IN THE RIGHT OF WAY IN THE MEDIUM, CALLED THROUGH ON REACH OUT TO OUR OFFICE SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THAT ON THE LIST.
A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, COUNCIL APPROVED A CONTRACT, UM, ADDRESSING THIS ITEM.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THOSE LOCATIONS ARE ABLE TO BE ADDRESSED.
UM, LATER TODAY, I'LL BE PRESENTING A CERTIFICATE IN OBSERVATION OF THE 51ST MEMORIAL OF THE FALL OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH VIETNAM AT THE A LEAF NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER.
UM, IT'S KNOWN AS BLACK APRIL, AND IT'S A SOLEMN MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE THE EVENT THAT ALTERED MANY FAMILIES AND GENERATION.
UM, AND AS YOU KNOW, ON THE WEST SIDE, AND PARTICULARLY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, IT'S HOME TO THE LARGEST VIETNAMESE POPULATION OUTSIDE OF CALIFORNIA IN AMERICA.
SO I WILL BE WITH THEM LATER TODAY.
UM, AND THEN ALSO LATER THIS AFTERNOON, I WILL BE AT MY HIGH SCHOOL ALMA MATER E LEAF ELSIK, UM, SUPPORTING OUR JUNIOR ROTC CADETS FOR THEIR ANNUAL, UH, PASS AND REVIEW LATER TODAY.
A TRADITION THAT I PARTICIPATE IN EVERY YEAR AND WILL PRESENT OUR GRADUATING SENIORS WITH CERTIFICATES FOR THEIR WORK.
MANY OF THEM ARE PURSUING MILITARY OR COLLEGE OR CAREER AFTER GRADUATION.
SO EXCITED TO CELEBRATE THIS, ESPECIALLY SINCE I WAS A JUNIOR, ROTC CADET MYSELF.
UH, AND THEN LASTLY, JUST WANNA, UH, REMIND EVERYONE, UH, THAT THE BARBARA CUATROS MEMORIAL CO CLOSES VERY SOON AND IN HONOR OF EARTH DAY, UH, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT THE ALE LIBRARY AND THE TOKENS OF MEMORIAL OF THE ITEMS THAT HER FAMILY HAS PRESENTED, SO YOU CAN LEARN A LITTLE HISTORY AS YOU ENJOY THE ALE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER.
UM, IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE THAT MY OFFICE CAN DO TO SUPPORT YOUR EFFORTS AROUND CONSTITUENT SERVICES, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO REACH OUT TO DISTRICT F AT HOUSTON TX.
AND THEN, UM, I ALSO WANNA, UH, JUST TO, UM, HIGHLIGHT THAT WE ARE ANTICIPATING THE APARTMENT ORDINANCE GETTING TO THE AGENDA SOON.
JUST TO, TO REMIND YOU, WE HAD A 30 DAY CLOCK THAT THIS COUNCIL VOTED ON TO MAKE SURE THAT ONCE THE ITEM WAS PRESENTED TO COUNCIL, THAT IT WILL BE PRESENTED ON THE AGENDA FOR VOTE.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
TO THAT, I WOULD'VE LOVED TO HAVE IT, UM, AT THE END OF APRIL TO CLOSE, UH, FAIR HOUSING MONTH.
UM, BUT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT, GETTING ON THE AGENDA SO WE CAN MOVE ONE STEP CLOSER TO, UM, ENSURING QUALITY SAFE HOUSING IN OUR CITY.
I'LL, UH, STEP IN HERE AND SHARE THE GOOD NEWS OF THE CONCESSION WORKERS AT BUSH AIRPORT.
MEMBERS OF UNITED HERE GOT THEIR CONTRACT THIS WEEK WITH A MINIMUM OF $20 PER OUR SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVEMENT.
THANK YOU WILLIE GONZALEZ, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, ALWAYS IN THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH YOU.
SO IT'S SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE, UM, MODEL VERY MUCH AFTER THE CONTRACT AT THE HILTON.
UH, JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, UM, TWO PROJECTS THAT ARE HAPPENING ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
UM, PUBLIC WORKS WILL BE HOSTING A VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING FOR THE WEST RIDGE AND BRAISE TERRACE PHASE TWO PROJECT.
I KNOW RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN ANXIOUSLY AWAITING THE START OF THIS PROJECT.
SO THE COMMUNITY MEETING WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, MAY THE FIFTH AT 5:30 PM AND THIS PHASE OF THE PROJECT WILL INCLUDE STREET RECONSTRUCTION, DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS, AND SIDEWALK AND CURB UPGRADES.
THE PROJECT IS ANTICIPATED TO BEGIN IN THE FALL OF 2026 AND SHOULD BE COMPLETE BY THE FALL OF 2028.
SO IT IS A FAIRLY COMPREHENSIVE PROJECT THAT IS GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME.
ANY RESIDENTS INTERESTED IN ATTENDING CAN REGISTER@ENGAGEHOUSTON.ORG OR CALL THE DISTRICT A OFFICE.
UH, MAKE SURE YOU CAN ATTEND THAT MEETING ON TUESDAY, MAY THE FIFTH AT 5:30 PM AND THEN ALSO WANT RESIDENTS IN THE BRAISE OAKS AREA TO KNOW THAT THEY WILL SOON HAVE, UH, STREET IMPROVEMENTS AS THE WORK TO FOG SEAL.
THE ROAD IS EXPECTED, UM, TO BEGIN ON MAY 4TH, 2026 ON ROURKE ROAD.
AND THAT'S THE AREA BETWEEN WEST BELFORT STREET AND MURPHY ROAD.
SO THIS WORK IS SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETE BY THE END OF MAY, 2026.
IT'S A, A SHORTER TERM PROJECT, UM, BUT WANTED TO LET RESIDENTS IN BRA OAKS KNOW THAT THAT WORK WILL BE HAPPENING AND TO SLOW DOWN AROUND THE CONSTRUCTION.
UH, IT MAY GET WORSE BEFORE IT GETS BETTER, BUT IT WILL BE BETTER.
BE KIND TO EACH OTHER AND MAKE IT A GREAT DAY.
OUR NEXT PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE THIS MONDAY, MAY 4TH AT 10:00 AM THE TOPICS INCLUDE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND CHILD EXPLOITATION.
OUR PRESENTERS WILL BE AID TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE, ABDA, AND PROJECT PROTECTOR CHILDREN.
THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR CARTER'S OFFICE FOR HELPING ARRANGE, UM, BOTH PRESENTATIONS AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYONE AT THE COMMITTEE MEETING.
FIRST, UH, JUST PIGGYBACK OFF OF YOUR ANNOUNCEMENT, MAYOR, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE AIRPORT WORKERS.
THIS IS A, A GREAT TREND THAT I, I LOVE SEEING.
[03:45:01]
I WANNA APPRECIATE, I WANNA SAY, UH, AGAIN, JUST, UH, RAISE UP THE ADMINISTRATION FOR THE WORK, UH, SUPPORTING WORKING FAMILIES.UM, AND I'VE SHARED THIS BEFORE, UM, AS THE CITY DOES WELL, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT ALL FAMILIES CAN SEE THAT BENEFIT AS WELL.
SO WHETHER IT'S THE HILTON WORKERS, UH, AIRPORT WORKERS, LOOKING AT THE GRB WORKERS IS EVENTUALLY SEEING SOMETHING SUCCESSFUL AS WELL.
UH, SO AGAIN, JUST CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL WORKING FAMILIES.
UH, THIS FRIDAY MAY 1ST CONSTRUCTION AND LOAD IN FOR FIFA FAN FEST IN EAST DOWNTOWN WILL BEGIN.
THIS WILL BE, THIS WILL TAKE PLACE IN A FOUR BLOCK AREA AROUND SHELL ENERGY STADIUM.
WE ARE 43 DAYS AWAY FROM WELCOMING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF VISITORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
A REMINDER TO PLEASE STAY ENGAGED, TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
LAST MONTH I HOSTED A COFFEE WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER EAST DOWNTOWN TO UPDATE OUR COMMUNITY ON PLANS AND PREPARATION THAT IS GOING INTO HOSTING THE FAN FEST IN EAST DOWNTOWN.
UH, MY OFFICE WILL CONTINUE TO SHARE UPDATES, UH, IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO ENSURE THIS IS A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE FOR US ALL HERE WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, LASTLY, UH, TOMORROW MY OFFICE WILL BE HOSTING OUR VERY FIRST ICARE, UH, DAY OF SERVICE.
OUR TEAM WILL BE VOL VOLUNTEERING AT THE HAY CENTER, UH, PREPARING KIDS FOR YOUTH PHASING OUT OF FOSTER CARE.
UH, SERVICE TO OUR, UH, TO OTHERS IS REALLY CORE WITHIN OUR OFFICE AND, AND WITHIN THE TEAM.
AND SO WE'RE EXCITED TO LAUNCH THIS, UH, VOLUNTEER INITIATIVE.
AND I, UH, DEFINITELY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR, MY COLLEAGUES AND OF COURSE, UH, YOUR TEAM MEMBERS, UH, ARE, ARE AWARE AND CAN JOIN US.
THE HAY CENTER SUPPORTS OVER A THOUSAND YOUTH EACH YEAR WITH HOUSING AND CAREER READINESS PROGRAMS. UH, IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO SEE FIRSTHAND, UH, WHAT THE IMPACTS THAT WE'VE DONE AS A CITY.
WE CONTRIBUTED ABOUT $5 MILLION TO THAT, TO THAT HOUSING PROJECT, UH, TO SEE THAT INVESTMENT ON HOW WE'RE SUPPORTING OUR YOUTH.
UH, SO IF YOU'RE AVAILABLE, JUST, UH, WANT YOU TO KNOW, WE'LL BE OUT THERE TOMORROW AND LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, HAVING OTHER EYE CARE DAYS, UH, SERVICE DAYS IN THIS, UH, WITH MY TEAM AND THE REST OF YOU, UH, AS WELL.
UH, JUST WANNA START OFF BY, UH, HIGHLIGHTING, UH, THE REPORT FROM THE CONTROLLER AND THE FINANCE DIRECTOR, I THINK THE CONTROLLER IN HIS OFFICE.
I WANT TO GIVE THEM PROPS FOR REALLY, UM, HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE FACING TODAY REGARDING OUR BUDGET.
THAT 10 POINT PLAN OR DOCUMENT THAT THEY PUT OUT, UH, BEFORE LAST YEAR'S BUDGET.
MANY OF THOSE ITEMS THAT THEY HIGHLIGHTED ARE ISSUES THAT WE ARE, UH, HAVING TO DEAL WITH TODAY.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO TAKE THOSE, UM, NOT ONLY RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT THEIR INSIGHT VERY, UH, SERIOUSLY AS WE GO INTO THIS BUDGET CYCLE.
I DO WANNA ALSO THANK BLUEPRINT CHURCH.
MY OFFICE PARTNERED WITH BLUEPRINT CHURCH.
UH, THIS PAST SUNDAY WE DID A CITY EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION BREAKFAST, UH, FOR 300, UH, CITY EMPLOYEES AT THE BALLROOM AT TANGLEWOOD.
UH, THAT'S JUST A SMALL WAY OF US SAYING THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO, UH, FOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND THE IMPACT YOU MAKE FOR THE CITY.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO DOING MORE OF THESE APPRECIATION EVENTS, UH, GOING FORWARD.
UH, MAYOR, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE SWIFT ACTION YOUR OFFICE TOOK WITH THE TERMINATION OF THE HPD OFFICER THAT USED THE RACIST AND DISRESPECTFUL LANGUAGE, UM, ON HER SOCIAL MEDIA.
I DID SEND A LETTER TO CHIEF DIAZ AND DA TIER, UM, ASKING BOTH TO REALLY LOOK INTO THIS OFFICER'S RECORD, UH, LOOK AT AND INVESTIGATE ALL THE CASES THAT SHE WAS INVOLVED IN, UM, AND ENSURE THAT, YOU KNOW, JUSTICE IS NOT ONLY BEING SEEN WITH HER TERMINATION, BUT ALSO WITH ANY INVOLVEMENT WITH INDIVIDUALS THAT SHE WAS ENGAGED WITH THAT LED TO, UM, CRIMINAL ARREST.
UM, I'VE ALSO REQUESTED THAT THEIR OFFICES PROVIDE THIS BODY WITH A REPORT ON THEIR FINDINGS.
I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO SEE, AND THAT NEEDS TO HAVE A LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY, UH, NOT ONLY FOR THAT PARTICULAR OFFICER, BUT THE, THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE THAT GOING FORWARD, YOU KNOW, THAT TYPE OF MENTALITY AND THOSE TYPE OF ACTIONS WON'T BE TOLERATED.
AND WE HAVE TO BE VERY MUCH OPEN, UH, TO RECEIVING THAT INFORMATION AND NOT JUST KEEPING IT, UH, BEHIND THE SCENES.
UH, LASTLY, I DID GET A EMAIL FROM JOB B ALLEN THAT WAS THE PRIVATE CONTRACTOR THAT, THAT HELPED WITH HEAVY TRASH AROUND THE CITY THAT EMAILED TO MY OFFICE, STATED THAT IN JAY CITY, THAT WAS THE MOST TRASH THAT THEY HAD SEEN ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY, AND THEY WERE SHOCKED AT WHAT THEY SAW.
AND MY RESIDENCE AND MYSELF HAD BEEN ADVOCATING FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS THAT OUR HEAVY TRASH HAD NOT BEEN PICKED UP.
[03:50:01]
SOME CITY OF HOUSTON TRUCKS TO COME IN THIS PAST WEEK, BUT MY OFFICE'S PRIVATE TRASH CREW HAS BEEN DOING THE HEAVY LIFTING IN JAY CITY FOR THE LAST ALMOST YEAR WITH, WITH SMALL CREWS THAT DO A LOT BEING PAID WITH COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS.BUT THERE'S POOR COMMUNICATION REGARDING HEAVY TRASH PICKUP.
THEY DON'T KNOW WHEN TO PUT THEIR TRASH UP, WHEN IT'S GONNA GET COLLECTED, AND IT STARTS TO PILE UP AND MAKE THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS LOOK UNSIGHTLY AND UNSAFE.
UM, AND SO THERE NEEDS TO BE A MUCH BETTER JOB WHEN IT COMES TO HEAVY TRASH AND TREE WASTE PICKUP IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE CALL MY OFFICE GETS.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN SAID THAT WAS THE ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE THINGS SHE WAS RECEIVING IN HER SURVEY.
UH, IT IS JUST LOGISTICS AND, AND AND PREPARATION AND GOOD COMMUNICATION.
AND SO, UM, WANT TO CONTINUE TO FLAG THAT AS WELL.