[00:00:03]
LIVE FROM THE ANNA RUSSELL COUNCIL CHAMBER.I WILL NOW READ THE CAPTIONS FOR THE COUNCIL AGENDA FOR MAY 27TH, 2026.
ITEM ONE, REQUEST FROM MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE REAPPOINTMENT OF STEVEN CASADA TO POSITION THREE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE EAST END DISTRICT.
ITEM TWO, REQUEST FOR MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OR REAPPOINTMENT OF THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC TRUST.
ITEM THREE, RECOMMENDATION FROM THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR PAYMENT OF $1,118,000 TO THE HARRIS GALVESTON SUBSIDANCE DISTRICT.
ITEM FOUR, RECOMMENDATION FROM THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL ACCEPT THE WORK AND AUTHORIZE FINAL PAYMENT IF ANY OF THE CONTRACT WITH DL GLOVER INC.
ITEM FIVE, RECOMMENDATION FROM THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR TRANSFER OF FUNDS FOR THE FROM THE DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL CAPITAL FUND.
ADD VALOREM TAX TO THE GENERAL FUND AS PAYMENT FOR THE TRANSFER OF JURISDICTION OF PARCELS LY 25 DASH 0 0 8 AND LY 25 DASH 0 0 9 LOCATED AT 79 79 SOUTH KIRKWOOD DRIVE FOR THE PAVEMENT AND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT IN ALEY FOREST SOUTH AREA SUB PROJECT ONE ITEM SIX, HAROLD BECK AND SONS FOR 20 ROTARY ACTUATORS.
ITEM SEVEN, ORDINANCE TAB EIGHT IN THE VOTES CAST AND CANVASSING THE RETURNS OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON RUNOFF ELECTION HELD ON MAY 16TH, 2026 FOR THE PURPOSE OF FILLING A VACANCY IN THE OFFICE OF COUNCIL MEMBER DISTRICT C.
ITEM EIGHT, ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 47 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES RELATING TO URBAN FARM WATER RATE.
ITEM NINE ORDINANCE, CHANGING THE STREET NAMES OF NORTH CAESAR CESAR CHAVEZ BOULEVARD TO NORTH MSG JOE E. RAMIREZ BOULEVARD AND SOUTH CESAR CHAVEZ BOULEVARD TO SOUTH MSG JOE E. RAMIREZ BOULEVARD.
ITEM 10 ORDINANCE RELATING TO RETAIL GAS RATES OF S ENERGY GAS LLC ITEM 11, ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING PARTICIPATION WITH OTHER S ENERGY SERVICE AREA, CITIES AND MATTERS CONCERNING SITE ENERGY GAS LLC ITEM 12, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SECOND AMENDMENT TO SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COORDINATING COUNCIL.
ITEM 13, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING LOCAL ON SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT PROJECT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND TEXAS, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
ITEM 14, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $11,390,863 APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING CONTRACT WITH RAGLE INC.
ITEM 15, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $250,000 FOR SECURITY CAMERA UPGRADES.
ITEM 16, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATED $19,306,000 FOR HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT FIRE STATION 1 0 4 REPLACEMENT ITEM 17.
ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $8,278,130 10 CENTS.
AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2024 DASH 6 39 RELATED TO INTER INTERLOCAL COST SHARING AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR THE HARDY WATERLINE PROJECT WITH NORTH HARRIS COUNTY REGIONAL WATER AUTHORITY.
ITEM 18, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $35 MILLION FOR A DERIVATIVE DERIVATIVE AGREEMENT WITH TD INDUSTRIES INC.
ITEM 19, ORDINANCE APPRO AUTHOR, AUTHOR ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING AND A APPROVING FORM OF MASTER CONTRACTOR AGREEMENT FOR A CITY OF HOUSTON HOME REPAIR PROGRAM TO BE EXECUTED BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON IN ARCHITECTURE DEVELOPMENT INC.
BRIZO CONSTRUCTION, L-L-C-D-R-C, CONSTRUCTION, L-L-C-D-S-W HOLMES, LLC DUCKY RECOVERY, LLC GALVESTON PILING LLC JAMES W. TURNER CONSTRUCTION LIMITED, PMG CONSTRUCTION, INC.
RM QUALITY CONSTRUCTION, L-L-C-S-L-S-C-O LIMITED AND STONEWATER INC.
ITEM 20 ORDINANCE APPRO AND AUTHORIZING CONTRACT WITH THE MEMORIAL HERMANN HEALTH SYSTEM.
ITEM 21 ORDINANCE APPROVED AND AUTHORIZING, AUTHORIZING CONTRACT WITH ACADIAN AMBULANCE SERVICE OF TEXAS.
ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2022 DASH 47 RELATED TO CONTRACT WITH STERLING INFO SYSTEMS, INC.
DOING BUSINESS AS STERLING ITEM 23, ORDINANCE AMENDING CITY'S MASTER CLASSIFICATION PLAN, CITY OF HOUSTON, ORDINANCE NUMBER 1998 DASH 8 34 AS MOST RECENTLY AMENDED BY ORDINANCE NUMBER 2026 DASH 46 EXHIBIT A AND REVISING THE PAY STRUCTURE AS MOST RECENTLY AMENDED BY ORDINANCE NUMBER 2025 DASH 4 95 EXHIBIT B TO ADD SIX NEW JOB CLASSIFICATIONS ADD ONE, PAY GRADE CHANGE ONE JOB TITLE CHANGE, THREE, PAY GRADES, DELETE ONE JOB CLASSIFICATION, DELETE CLASSIFI CLASSIFICATION ADJUSTMENTS FOR TWO JOB CLASSIFICATIONS.
ITEM 24, ORDINANCE APPROVED AND AUTHORIZING
[00:05:01]
INCREASE IN ISSUANCE OF BONDS AND NOTES BY SOUTHWEST HOUSTON REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.ITEM 25, ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING ALTERNATIVE UNTREATED WATER SUPPLY CONTRACT WITH HARRIS COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NUMBER 3 59 ITEM 26 ORDINANCE.
FINDING AND DETERMINING THAT PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY NO LONGER REQUIRE THE CONTINUED USE OF A PORTION OF A 60 FOOT WIDE SLEEPY LANE STATE PORTION BEING PLUS MINUS 60,652 SQUARE FEET WITHIN THE REPL OF STEEL METAL SECTION ONE AS SHOWN ON THE MAP OR PLA THEREOF, AND BEING FROM HONEYSUCKLE LANE SOUTH PLUS MINUS 1010 FEET TO RANK AND ROAD, FORMERLY KNOWN AS HORSESHOE TRAIL SITUATED IN THE AUSTIN R BODMAN SURVEYS.
ABSTRACT NUMBERS ONE 40 AND 1 41 HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS PARCEL, SY 23 DASH 51.
ABANDONING THE RIGHT OF WAY TO NPH RANKING LLC ITEM 27, ORDINANCE APPRO AND AUTHORIZING PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, AND LEUKEMIA LUXURY HOMES LLC.
THIS COMPLETES THE READING OF THE CAPTIONS FOR THE AGENDA OF MAY 27TH, 2026.
STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL SESSION TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM AND WITH THAT, BE BLESSED EVERYONE.
MY NUMBER ONE THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER ON THE RECORD
[Consideration of Consent Agenda (Part 1 of 3)]
MOTION TAKE ITEM NUMBER SEVEN OUT OF ORDER.MR. SECRETARY, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ITEM? ITEM SEVEN IS AN ORDINANCE.
MOTION PASSES, MEMBERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS ELECTION CODE.
I'D LIKE TO STATE THAT THE CANVAS OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON RUNOFF ELECTION TO FILL THE VACANCY IN THE OFFICE OF COUNCIL MEMBER DISTRICT C HELD ON MAY 16 HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
I WOULD ASK MR. PELLA TO JOIN ME AT THE PODIUM, PLEASE.
DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR I'LL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE.
I'LL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, COUNCIL MEMBER, DISTRICT C, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, COUNCIL MEMBER, DISTRICT C, AND OF THE STATE OF TEXAS AND OF THE STATE OF TEXAS AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND, PRESERVE, PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND, AND DEFEND AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS, THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.
OF THE UNITED STATES, AND THIS STATE AND THIS STATE.
[00:10:12]
COUNCIL MEMBER PANZER, UH, BE RECOGNIZED TO SPEAK TO YOUR, YOUR COLLEAGUES AND CERTAINLY, UH, YOU HAVE A GREAT DELEGATION OF FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS AND FAMILY HERE.UH, TRULY A PRIVILEGE AND AN HONOR TO BE HERE WORKING WITH AVI HERE TODAY.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANNA THANK MY MAMA.
MAMA, CAN YOU STAND PLEASE? THANK YOU.
I WANNA THANK MY WIFE, STEPHANIA, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
AND THEN MY BROTHERS AND THEIR PARTNERS AND THEIR BABIES ARE HERE AS WELL.
SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE WORK VERY WELL.
[INVOCATION & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
FIRST OPPORTUNITY IS TO, UH, LEAD US IN INVOCATION OR A DESIGNATED PERSON.UH, WE HAVE HERE TODAY A CHURCH THAT IS IN THE HEART OF DISTRICT C, THE LIVING MOSAIC CHURCH.
I'D LIKE TO BRING FORWARD PASTOR SUE SCHNEIDER AND DEACON KENON FALK TO GIVE THE INVOCATION.
I ALSO WANNA SHOUT OUT, COURTNEY SELLERS IS HERE WITH THE MONTROSE GRACE PLACE, AND THEY'RE KIND OF A, KIND OF A PAIR.
AUTHOR OF LIFE AND OF LOVE, WE GIVE YOU THANKS FOR THIS DAY, FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, FOR ITS WATERWAYS AND BAYOU, ITS HIGHWAYS, ITS PARKS, AND ALL WHO CALL THIS PLACE HOME OR WHO ARE VISITING HERE MAY THIS GROUP OF FAITHFUL LEADERS WHO ARE CALLED TO THE SIGNIFICANT AND IMPORTANT WORK OF GOOD GOVERNANCE, FIND MEANING IN THEIR TASKS.
MAY THEY FIND JOY AND HUMOR EVEN WHEN THINGS GET HARD, AND MAY THEY LISTEN PATIENTLY TO ONE ANOTHER.
AND THOSE THEY REPRESENT, KEEP THEM EVER MINDFUL THAT THEIR PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY IS TO RESTORE THE CITY, ESPECIALLY WITH AN EYE TOWARD THOSE WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE OR AT RISK OF BEING MARGINALIZED OR FORGOTTEN.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE CITIZENS THAT THEY REPRESENT, FOR THE VOICES THAT THEY WILL MAGNIFY, AND WE PRAY, ESPECIALLY TODAY FOR MY OWN NEW NEWLY SWORN IN COUNCIL MEMBER JOE PANZA.
MAY EACH OF THEM FIND THAT THE WORK OF BEING YOUR SERVANT IN THIS PUBLIC WAY IS ONE OF JOY AND ONE OF FULFILLMENT.
WE PRAY FOR THE CITY AND ALL THOSE WHO LONG TO MAKE IT A PLACE OF INCLUSION AND WHOLENESS FOR ALL, WE PRAY THIS TRUSTING THAT YOUR MERCY IS GREATER THAN WE COULD ASK OR IMAGINE, AND TRUSTING THAT WE CAN RISE ABOVE OUR OWN WORST IMPULSES TO BE A PLACE OF GOOD.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN TWO REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, AND LIBERTY TRUST
[ROLL CALL & MINUTES]
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL MAYOR WHITMEYER.HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER.
COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN WILL BE ABSENT.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN HERE NEED A MOTION TO DELAY THE ADOPTION OF MINUTES.
[Consideration of Consent Agenda (Part 2 of 3)]
CALL ITEM NUMBER TWO, MR. SECRETARY CASTEX.TATUM, MOVE TO TAKE ITEM TWO OUT OF ORDER.
[00:15:01]
MOTION PASSES.IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM TWO? CASTEX TATUM, MOVE.
WE HAVE, UH, MATT, MATT ZAZ, WOULD YOU PLEASE RISE? KIMBERLY DIXON.
WE WANT TO THANK OUR PUBLIC SERVANTS THAT ARE WILLING TO SERVE ON THIS BOARD.
THANK YOU, SIR, FOR BEING HERE.
AND NOW YOU WANNA GO TO MAYOR? MAYOR, I WANNA RECOGNIZE CONGRESSWOMAN GARCIA.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE MEMBERS.
WERE WAITING, UH, FOR DR. TRAN AND HER TEAM.
THEY WERE UPSTAIRS ON THE PHONE.
UH, WILL BE HERE SHORTLY, BUT LET'S CONTINUE WITH OTHER ITEMS ON THE MAYOR'S REPORT.
CHRISTINE MORALES REPRESENTATIVE, ARE YOU HERE? CERTAINLY WHEN SHE ARRIVES, WE'LL RECOGNIZE HER.
IS, UH, MAJOR GENERAL RICK NORIEGA HERE.
UH, GENERAL, IF YOU WANT TO COME AND SPEAK, UH, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED TO ADDRESS THIS.
DR. TRAN WILL BE WITH YOU SHORTLY.
I'LL BE, EXCUSE ME, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED.
I'LL, I'LL, I'LL JUST BE EX EXTREMELY BRIEF, UH, UH, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU HAVE A, A LONG AGENDA AND WANT TO DEFER TO A VERY SPECIAL ITEM THAT'LL BE COMING UP.
UH, ITEM NUMBER NINE ON THE REGULAR ORDER OF BUSINESS, UH, AND DEFER TO THE FAMILY TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK ON THIS, BUT, UH, WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL FOR THEIR, UH, JUDICIOUSNESS AND, UH, LOOKING AT THE RENAMING OF THE STREET AND THE WAY THEY WENT ABOUT, UH, ALLOWING THE COMMUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT PROCESS.
AND IT GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHERE THERE ARE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO NAME OTHER THINGS.
MEMBERS, UH, BEFORE WE BRING UP DR. TRAN AND HER TEAM, I'M WANT TO SEND OUR CONDOLENCES TO THE RICE UNIVERSITY AND THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY.
REALLY ALL OF HOUSTON FOR THE PASSING OF DR. RICHARD TOPIA, UH, WAS A PIONEERING MATHEMATICIAN AND ADVOCATE FOR DIVERSITY PASSED AWAY LAST WEEK AT 88 YEARS OF AGE.
HE'S, UH, MENTORED SO MANY STUDENTS ACROSS THIS GREAT CITY AND WILL REMAIN AN ICONIC FIGURE IN OUR ACADEMIC WORLD AND CERTAINLY OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
SO TO HIS FAMILY, OUR CONDOLENCES, UH,
[Additional Item ]
DR. TRAN MEMBERS, UH, I ASKED DR. TRAN TO COME GIVE US A, A STATUS REPORT ON OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND OTHER AGENCIES, STARTING WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOWN TO THE CITY.UM, RESPONSE TO THE EBOLA, UM, ISSUE AS IT AFFECTS OUR NATION AND CERTAINLY HOUSTONIANS.
UM, UH, I KNEW THE DAY WOULD COME THAT WE'D BE VERY PLEASED AND BLESSED TO HAVE A MEDICAL DOCTOR AS DIRECTOR OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
IT WAS CERTAINLY A CONSIDERATION.
UH, DR. TRAN IS AN EMERGENCY ROOM DOCTOR, A PROFESSOR, A PUBLIC SERVANT, AND SHE AND HER TEAM WERE AT THE AIRPORT TO 10 30 LAST NIGHT.
I WAS IN TOUCH WITH 'EM ALL WEEKEND.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHERS WERE DOING ON MEMORIAL DAY, BUT I WAS BEING BRIEFED, UH, DURING THE DAY BY DR.
UM, I COULD TELL YOU ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS IN TERMS OF WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IT IS, BUT, UM, I'M GOING YIELD TO DR. TRAN.
UH, IT'S OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY.
I SPEAK FOR ALL OF US TO PROTECT HOUSTONIANS, UH, DON'T COMPROMISE OUR HEALTH, UH, CONCERNS FOR FIFA OR OTHER ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS.
AS DR. TRAN WILL TELL YOU TODAY, IT IS NOT A FIFA CONCERN.
IT'S A NATIONAL CONCERN AND CERTAINLY THE HIGHEST PRIORITY FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN THIS LEADERSHIP AROUND THE HORSESHOE.
I KNOW YOU'RE GETTING QUESTIONS OR TEXTS FROM YOUR, UH, COMMUNITY, UH, AND THAT'S THE PURPOSE IN THIS ENGAGEMENT WITH DR. TRAN.
[00:20:01]
QUESTIONS TO THE PRESS.UH, IF THERE'S REMAINING QUESTIONS BY YOU, I'LL MAKE MY OFFICE AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW AND DISCUSSION WITH DR. TRAN.
I THINK YOU'LL FIND HER TO BE THE MOST COMPETENT HEALTH DIRECTOR IN THE NATION, UH, BRINGING, UH, COMMON SENSE AND BEING A PRACTITIONER AND IS IN REGULAR CONTACT WITH THE CDC, THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL, WHICH RESPONSIBILITY I, THROUGH THIS CHALLENGE I'VE LEARNED IS ACTUALLY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY AND SHE'LL GO THROUGH THE PROTOCOLS UNTIL THEY LEAVE THE AIRPORT.
THEN IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY AND IT IS SOLELY THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S RESPONSIBILITY WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
IF SOMEONE'S A RESIDENT OF THE UNINCORPORATED AREA AND THEY'RE A CITIZEN TRAVELING BACK HOME, THEY WILL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COUNTY.
BUT BY FAR, THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS THE GOVERNING AGENCY, AND I'M VERY PLEASED TO INTRODUCE A VERY COMPETENT, PASSIONATE, ARTICULATE PUBLIC SERVANTS.
DR. TRAN, I YIELD AND TAKE YOUR TIME TO, UH, GIVE US THE PROTOCOLS, HOW THEY WERE ESTABLISHED, WHERE WE ARE TODAY, AND WHERE YOU THINK WE'LL BE GOING IN THE FUTURE TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE.
UM, THANK YOU MAYOR WHITMEYER, UH, FOR INVITING ME HERE TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF COUNCIL AND, UM, THE PUBLIC.
THE, UM, SO IN ORDER TO GET YOU TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY AND GIVE YOU THE LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE THAT I HAVE IN OUR, UM, PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS SYSTEM, WHICH INCLUDES THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN LOCKSTEP WITH HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, WITH THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, DEPARTMENT OF, UM, STATE HEALTH SERVICES AND THE CDC AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS ALONG WITH OUR INFECTIOUS DISEASE EXPERTS IN THE REGION AND THE HOSPITAL SYSTEM SET TRACK, H-F-D-H-P-D, THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM, WE ARE, UM, IT IS OUR JOB TO THINK ABOUT THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, AND IT IS WHAT WE DO ALL DAY, EVERY DAY AND WHAT WE'VE PREPARED FOR, FOR YEARS TO DO.
UM, SO I'M GONNA GIVE YOU THE, UH, THE UPDATE ON WHERE, HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY, AND, UM, AND THEN WHAT OUR PROTOCOLS ARE.
AS OF 11:59 PM AT IAH LAST NIGHT ON, UM, MAY 15TH, 2026, THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO DECLARED AN OUTBREAK OF EBOLA.
UM, IT'S THE 17TH OUTBREAK OF EBOLA IN THE DRC SINCE 1976 WHEN EBOLA DISEASE WAS DISCOVERED IN HUMANS, THERE ARE SIX STRAINS OF EBOLA, UH, VIRUS THAT FOUR OF WHICH CAUSED DISEASES IN HUMANS TO OF WHICH DO NOT CAUSE DISEASES IN HUMANS.
THERE HAVE ONLY BEEN THREE INSTANCES OF THE, UM, BUN DE BOURGOU VIRUS STRAIN CAUSING AN OUTBREAK.
THERE HAVE ALSO ONLY BEEN THREE, UM, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, UH, DESIGNATIONS OF PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES OF INTERNATIONAL CONCERN, UM, OF WHICH THIS OUTBREAK IS ONE OF THEM.
THE OTHER TWO WERE IN 2014 WITH THE ZAIRE STRAIN.
AND THEN IN 2018, ALSO WITH THE ZAIRE STRAIN.
WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND IS, UM, THE, THE WAY THAT EBOLA SPREADS AND BECOMES A PUBLIC HEALTH THREAT AND EMERGENCY AND A PROBLEM IS, UH, IS REALLY A, AN INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEM IN THE CONTINENT OF AFRICA WHERE IT EXISTS AND WHERE ALL THE OUTBREAKS HAVE BEEN IN HUMANS.
THERE IS NOT GOOD INFRASTRUCTURE.
THEY DO NOT HAVE THE THINGS WE TAKE FOR GRANTED, UM, LIKE CLEAN WATER, SANITATION, UM, HOSPITAL SYSTEMS THAT HAVE MODERN MEDICINE AND, UM, SCIENCE AND JUST PPE.
IT'S SUCH A COMMON THING HERE NOW, BUT THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE BIG PROBLEM OF WHY IT SPREADS EASILY.
THERE'S JUST NOT THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE IN THE UNITED STATES IN AFRICA.
SO IT HAS BEEN CROSSING BORDERS ON THE CONTINENT OF AFRICA SINCE THAT EMERGENCY.
UH, DECLARATION WAS, THE INTERNATIONAL DECLARATION WAS, UM, DECLARED.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION IS CALLING UPON NATIONS TO POUR RESOURCES INTO LOOKING FOR THINGS LIKE VACCINES AND THERAPEUTICS AND RESOURCES TO HELP TRACE THE DISEASES IN AN AREA WHERE IT'S VERY, IT'S VERY, UM, RURAL.
THERE'S NOT A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE I MENTIONED, AND THEY NEED A LOT OF HELP IN AFRICA IN ORDER TO CONTAIN THE DISEASE HERE ON AMERICAN SOIL.
UM, THE, UH, US CUSTOMS BORDER, UM, PATROL AND THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL, OR CDC,
[00:25:01]
UM, HAS DONE SOMETHING THAT THEY HAVE NOT DONE BEFORE, WHICH IS CREATED TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS COMING TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.UM, THE ONLY INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ALLOWED TO COME HOME ARE US PASSPORT HOLDING CITIZENS AT THIS TIME.
THEY'RE ALLOWED TO COME HOME, UM, AND GO THROUGH A SCREENING PROCESS THAT I'LL DESCRIBE THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE WANTING TO COME TO THE UNITED STATES FROM OUTSIDE WHO HAVE TRAVELED, UH, WITHIN THE THREE COUNTRIES OF DRC SUDAN OR CONGO OVER THE, OVER THE PRECEDING 21 DAYS FROM WHEN THEY COME HERE, ARE NOT ALLOWED IN IF THEY ARE NOT PASSPORT HOLDERS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A, A TEAM FROM DRC, WHICH IS SETTING UP BASE CAMP HERE IN A FEW, IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
AND, UM, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THEY ARE IN EUROPE AND THE 21 DAY QUA KIND OF, NOT QUARANTINE, BUT THE 21 DAY TRAVEL RESTRICTION, UM, WOULD'VE STARTED LAST WEEK, LAST TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY.
AND SO AS LONG AS THEY ARE NOT GOING BACK INTO THE DRC, THEY WILL BE ALLOWED TO COME AND PLAY ALONG WITH THEIR TEAMS AND THEIR FANS JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, THERE ARE NO CDC OR UM, CBP OR CUSTOMS EXCEPTIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE COMING TO WATCH ANY BIG GAMES HERE.
SO THERE WON'T EXCUSE ME TO INTERRUPT.
THERE WILL NOT BE A FAN BASE LEAVING THE CONGO DUE TO CUSTOMS. IF, IF THERE IS, THEN THEY WILL ONLY ONCE THEY ARE IN THE STADIUM, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN OUT OF THE CON, UH, DRC OR SUDAN OR UM, UGANDA WITHIN THE PAST 21 DAYS.
THE REASON WHY THEY USE 21 DAYS IS THAT'S THE MAXIMUM INCUBATION PERIOD FOR EBOLA VIRUS, MEANING THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF TIME WHERE A VIRUS COULD LIVE IN SOMEBODY'S BODY WITHOUT CAUSING ANY SYMPTOMS BEFORE THEY START HAVING SYMPTOMS. UM, WITH EBOLA, YOU HAVE TO HAVE SYMPTOMS IN ORDER TO SPREAD IT.
THERE'S NO SYMPTOMATIC SPREAD, AND IT IS ONLY SPREAD THROUGH, UM, CONTACT WITH COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF BODY FLUID.
IT IS NOT LIKE THE DISEASES, UH, UM, LIKE THINGS LIKE MEASLES OR COVID, WHICH ARE AIRBORNE.
SO IF I'M STANDING IN FRONT OF YOU AND I COUGH ON YOU, YOU COULD GET SICK WITH EBOLA.
IT IS, UM, IT, THE, THE VIRUS IS SHED THROUGH BODY FLUIDS AND THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE GOTTEN SICK AND DIED ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE, UM, BEEN IN CONTACT WITH COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF FLUIDS OR WHO ARE, UM, DOING FUNERAL SERVICES AND DEAL, UM, DEALING WITH PREPARING THE BODY.
SO, UM, SO WHEN, SO THAT IS ALREADY JUST BEFORE WE EVEN GET INTO THE PROCESSES THAT OUR EMERGENCY SYSTEMS HAVE IN PLACE AND OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS HAVE IN PLACE, THAT'S ONE LAYER OF, UM, INDIVIDUALS THAT WE'RE JUST NOT HAVING TO NECESSARILY DEAL WITH RIGHT NOW.
UH, SO WE ARE, WE'RE FOCUSED ON AMERICAN PASSENGERS, UM, COMING HOME FROM WORK, FROM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK STUDY ABROAD, PEOPLE GOING ON MISSION TRIPS, UH, VISITING FAMILY MEMBERS TRYING TO GET HOME, AND MANY OF THEM ARE TRYING TO GET, YOU KNOW, THEIR PLANE TICKETS HOME AND COMING HOME SOON.
SO THE THREE ACCESS POINTS THAT HAVE BEEN DESIGNATED HAVE BEEN DULLES AIRPORT, UM, ATLANTA HARTSFIELD AIRPORT, AND, UM, IAHI WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO BE NOTIFIED BY THE CDC THAT IAH WAS GOING TO BE CHOSEN AS, UM, AS AN AIRPORT.
AND THEN OF COURSE, I LET THE AIRPORT SYSTEM KNOW, AND I LET YOU KNOW, MAYOR ON FRIDAY.
AND SO, UM, WE LOCALLY WERE NOT, UH, DID NOT REALLY HAVE A SAY IN HOW THE AIRPORTS WERE CHOSEN.
I PRESUME THAT IT HAS TO DO SOMETHING WITH, UM, INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS WITHIN PROXIMITY OF A BIOCON CONTAINMENT UNIT OR A REGIONAL, UM, EMERGING, UH, UM, SPECIAL PATHOGENS TREATMENT CENTER.
THE, THERE ARE 13 CENTERS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, AND THAT EVEN THAT NETWORK OF THOSE CENTERS TO SPECIALLY CARE FOR EBOLA, UM, WERE SET UP BY, UH, THE GOVERNMENT IN 2014 IN RESPONSE TO THE, UM, LARGE WEST AFRICA EBOLA OUTBREAK AT THAT TIME.
SO OUR PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE EXISTS IN A WAY TO DATE THAT IT JUST HAS NOT EXISTED IN THE PAST.
AND THAT LEADS ME TO, UM, SAY VERY CONFIDENTLY THAT I DO NOT THINK THAT IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, HARRIS COUNTY, UM, THAT EBOLA IS A PUBLIC HEALTH THREAT, AND THAT WE HAVE A LOW LIKELIHOOD OF IT BECOMING A PUBLIC HEALTH THREAT BECAUSE OF ITS EPIDEMIOLOGY, BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT IT SPREADS AND BECAUSE OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE NOW, THERE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DON'T HAVE, IN PUBLIC HEALTH, WE CANNOT HAVE THE HUBRIS TO THINK
[00:30:01]
THAT EVERYTHING IS FOOLPROOF OR THAT SOMETHING CAN'T HAPPEN.AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE SPEND ALL OF OUR TIME THINKING ABOUT AND DOING THE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FOR SO THAT EVERYDAY HOUSTONIANS CAN GO ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS JUST LIKE NORMAL.
UM, AND SO WITH THAT IN IN MIND, UH, WE HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE CDC AND, UH, LAST NIGHT, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, MAYOR, UM, WE WALKED THROUGH THE AIRPORT AND SAW THE PROCESS, AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO SHARE WHAT THAT IS WITH Y'ALL RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO WHEN AN INDI OKAY, BEFORE AN INDIVIDUAL EVER LANDS ON AMERICAN SOIL, UH, CBP HAS INFORMATION FROM THEM AS TO WHERE THEY'VE BEEN OVER THE PAST 21 DAYS, AND THAT'S BECAUSE YOU HAVE AN AMERICAN PASSPORT AND THE US WITH US PASSPORT, THEY ARE ABLE TO TRACK WHERE CITIZENS HAVE BEEN OVER THE PAST 21 DAYS.
IF IT IS SOMEBODY WHO HAS BEEN IN ONE OF THE AREAS OF CONCERN, WHICH IS DRC, I'M JUST GONNA CALL IT AREA OF CONCERN, BUT YOU KNOW, I MEAN DRC SUDAN IN, UM, UGANDA, UM, BY THE WAY, THERE ARE NO DIRECT FLIGHTS INTO THE UNITED STATES FROM ANY OF THOSE AREAS.
AND SO THOSE FLIGHTS USUALLY ARE COMING FROM EUROPE, UM, OR THE MIDDLE EAST OR OTHER PARTS OF AFRICA.
BUT, UM, CBP KNOWS THAT BECAUSE OF OUR PASSPORTS, THEY HAVE A LIST AND THEY'RE ABLE TO IDENTIFY INDIVIDUALS BEFORE THEY GET OFF THE AIRPLANE.
A CBP AGENT AND A CDC AGENT WILL, UH, MEET THE PASSENGERS ON THE JET BRIDGE AT THE GATE AND ESCORT THEM TO A SPECIAL SCREENING AREA AT IAH BEFORE THEY LEAVE, UM, OR BEFORE THEY EVEN GET TO THE PASSPORT CONTROL AREA.
THERE'S A, OVER THE SPECIAL SCREENING AREA, CDC, UM, PREVENTION OFFICERS ARE SCREENING THEM, MEANING THEY'RE ASKING THEM QUESTIONS AS TO WHAT KIND OF SYMPTOMS HAVE YOU HAD, UH, ANY FEVER, VOMITING, NAUSEA, BLEEDING, UM, WHAT KINDS OF ACTIVITIES HAVE YOU ENGAGED IN HEALTHCARE WORK? HAVE YOU BEEN AROUND IN RURAL AREAS? HAVE YOU BEEN AROUND BATS BECAUSE THAT'S THE, UM, THE ANIMAL VECTOR FOR THIS DISEASE.
HAVE YOU BEEN IN THESE AREAS OF CONCERN WITH THE OUTBREAK? HAVE YOU BEEN DEALING WITH ANY DEAD BODIES, UH, FROM THERE OR HAVE YOU HAD ANY SICK CONTACTS FROM THERE? IF THE INDIVIDUAL ANSWERS NO TO EVERY QUESTION AND THE, UM, THEY HAVE TO ANSWER NO TO EVERY QUESTION, UM, THEN THEY ARE DEEMED LOW RISK AND THEY WILL BE ALLOWED TO, TO LEAVE THE AIRPORT CUSTOMS. NOW BEFORE THEY LEAVE CUSTOMS. THE, UM, CDC OFFICER HAS TAKEN DOWN THEIR INFORMATION AND HAS SHARED IT, WILL HAVE UPLOADED IT ONTO A PLATFORM THAT IS SHARED WITH THE LOCAL HEALTH JURISDICTION WHERE THE INDIVIDUAL IS GOING HOME TO, UM, WHERE THEIR DESTINATION IS.
SO THEY ALSO ASK, WHERE ARE YOU GOING? UM, YOU KNOW, ARE, IS THERE ANY MORE TRAVEL THAT YOU'RE ANTICIPATING WHILE YOU'RE IN THE UNITED STATES? WHAT'S YOUR PHONE NUMBER OR WHATSAPP OR HOWEVER WE CAN REACH YOU? UM, ONCE THAT INFORMATION GETS UPLOADED ONTO THE PLATFORM, WHICH IS CALLED ONE CDP, THE LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WHERE THE INDIVIDUAL'S GOING HOME TO GETS THAT INFORMATION AND THEN ENSUES THE FOLLOW UP FOR 21 DAYS, UM, TO ENSURE THAT THE PERSON DOESN'T HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS, OR IF THEY DO THAT, WE'RE ABLE TO, UM, GET AHEAD OF THEM AND HELP THEM INTO HEALTHCARE, UH, IN THE APPROPRIATE FACILITY IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE 21 DAYS IS OVER.
THAT'S KIND OF JUST, THEY'RE, THEY'RE BACK TO NORMAL.
IT'S BACK, BACK TO LIFE AS NORMAL.
UM, IF THE INDIVIDUAL SCREENS WITH ANY YESES TO ANY OF THE QUESTIONS THAT THE CDC SCREENER ASKS, THEY WILL BE ESCORTED OR THEY'LL GO INTO A ROOM WHERE A MEDICAL DOCTOR, THE CDC MEDICAL OFFICER IS STATIONED AND THEY WILL GET AN EXAM AND FURTHER QUESTIONING, UM, AND FURTHER INFORMATION.
AND BY THE WAY, BEFORE EVERYBODY LEAVES THE AIRPORT, THEY GET HEALTH INFORMATION.
THEY, UM, GET A, UH, THEY GET INFORMATION ON HOW THEY CAN TRACK THEMSELVES, UM, AND HOW TO, WHAT, WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.
IF THEY'RE, THEY HAVE CON THEY HAVE CONCERNS, UM, THE MEDICAL OFFICER AT THAT POINT OF, UH, INTERVIEW AND EXAMINATION CAN DECIDE WHETHER THE INDIVIDUAL, UM, IS GOOD TO GO WITH JUST EXTRA PRECAUTIONS OR SCREENINGS.
UM, OR MAYBE THERE, THERE WAS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT BECAUSE THEY, THEY TESTED THEM FOR, OR, YOU KNOW, OR THEY, THEY JUST DON'T BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE HIGH RISK ENOUGH TO NEED TO GO TO A HOSPITAL, OR THEY WILL REQUEST, UM, HFD TRANSPORT EMS TRANSPORT IF THEY FEEL LIKE THIS PERSON IS A HIGH RISK FOR HAVING EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE OR, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, NEEDS TO BE TRANSPORTED TO A HOSPITAL AT WHICH TIME OUR HFD HAS PROCESSES IN PLACE TO SAFELY
[00:35:01]
TRANSPORT THESE INDIVIDUALS TO THE CORRECT FACILITY FOR CARE.UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S IT,
UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, THE, THE MAIN RISK, AND WHEN I, WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE RISK, WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT, UM, THERE WAS, THERE WAS ONE CASE OF EBOLA DEATH IN THE UNITED STATES AND THE HISTORY OF KNOWN EBOLA DISEASE, AND THAT WAS IN DALLAS IN 2014, BEFORE ANY OF THESE, UM, SCREENING PROCESSES OR OR COUNTER MEASURES WERE IN PLACE PLACE.
AND IT'S BECAUSE OF THAT DEATH THAT THERE ARE SO MANY COUNTERMEASURES IN PLACE TODAY.
UM, THAT INDIVIDUAL WENT TO LIBERIA, WHICH AT THE TIME WAS A WAR TORN COUNTRY, AS WELL AS THE EPICENTER OF THE LARGE, UM, EPIDEMIC AT THE TIME IN WEST AFRICA.
UH, THE, THE INDIVIDUAL, UM, CAME HOME TO, TO DALLAS, GOT SICK, THOUGHT THAT IT WAS LIKE THE FLU OR A FEVER OR SOMETHING, WENT TO THE ER, WAS IN CONTACT WITH A LOT OF HOSPITAL PERSONNEL, WENT BACK HOME FOR 48 HOURS AND WAS IN CONTACT WITH HIS FAMILY LIVING IN SAME QUARTERS WITH HIS FAMILY, AND GOT SICKER.
SO CAME BACK TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE THEN HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH EBOLA, WAS IN CONTACT WITH NURSES WHO WERE TAKING CARE OF HIM AS HE PROGRESSIVELY GOT SICKER AND SICKER AND SICKER, AND SO THEREFORE WAS VOMITING MORE, BLEEDING MORE, HAVING MORE, UM, BODILY SECRETIONS AND TWO OF HIS NURSES, UM, WHO, UH, HAD SOME BARRIERS AND PRO PP PROTOCOL.
BUT THERE IS A THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, THAT IT WASN'T FOLLOWED APPROPRIATELY, GOT SICK.
THEY BOTH SURVIVED, UM, HAVING EBOLA AND THE INDIVIDUAL DIED, BUT NONE OF THE DOCTORS OR NURSES OR STAFF WHO ENCOUNTERED OR CARED FOR HIM BEFORE, OR ANY OF HIS FAMILY MEMBERS THAT HE WAS LIVING WITH GOT GOT EBOLA.
AND SO THE TRANSMISSIBILITY OF THIS DISEASE IS JUST SO LOW THAT OUR BIGGEST CONCERN AND WHERE WE'VE BEEN HAVING CONSTANT CONVERSATIONS WITH INFECTIOUS DISEASE DOCTORS IN THE REGION HAVE BEEN ABOUT SAFETY WITHIN THE HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS, AND THAT WE WANT EVERY HOSPITAL IN THE REGION TO BE PREPARED BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW, UM, UH, IF SOMEBODY, IF YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO USE THOSE PREPAREDNESS PROTOCOLS THAT ARE IN PLACE.
UM, ALL OF THIS IS DONE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CDC, WITH STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WITH OUR EPIDEMIOLOGY EXPERTS, UM, THE INFECTIOUS DISEASE EXPERTS, THE BIOCON CONTAINMENT UNIT IN GALVESTON.
UM, AND WE JUST FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WE ARE PREPARED FOR ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS AND ALSO CONFIDENT THAT THIS IS NOT A BROAD PUBLIC HEALTH THREAT.
UM, AND NOT TO BE CONFLATED WITH ANY TRAVEL OR, UM, OR, OR ANY OTHER DISEASES THAT WE'VE SEEN.
I GUESS, UH, A LOT, SOME OF THE MISINFORMATION WOULD BE THAT IT'S RELATED TO PREPARATION FOR FIFA.
UH, HAVE YOU BEEN IN CONTACT WITH OUR PARTNERS, THE SPORTS AUTHORITY, THE HOST COMMITTEE, CERTAINLY THE COUNTY, THE STATE OF TEXAS AS WE SPEAK TODAY? IT IS NOT TIED TO ANY FIFA RELATED TRAVELING OR GUESS.
IN FACT, UH, THE TRAVEL OPPORTUNITY FROM THOSE IN, FROM THE CONGO HAS BEEN BLOCKED, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE TEAM AND OFFICIALS WHO HAVE NOT RETURNED TO CONGO SINCE THEY WERE PLAYING IN EUROPE.
I THINK THAT'S CERTAINLY SOME OF THE MISINFORMATION TO THE PRESS AND OTHERS TRYING TO TIE IT AS A POTENTIAL DANGER OR THREAT TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE.
UH, WOULD YOU SPEAK TO THAT? YES, SIR.
FROM MY PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE, UM, THE VAST MAJORITY OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE GOING AROUND WATCHING GAMES IN THE UNITED STATES ARE UNITED STATES CITIZENS AND RESIDENTS, UM, AND THOSE WHO ARE COMING TO WATCH THE GAMES FROM OTHER COUNTRIES ARE, UH, ARE NOT GOING TO BE ALLOWED IN IF THEY'VE BEEN IN THE AREAS OF CONCERN, UM, IF WITHIN THE PAST 21 DAYS.
SO THEY WILL GO THROUGH THE SAME SCREENING PROCESS AS EVERYONE ELSE.
IT IS A COINCIDENCE AND AN UNFORTUNATE COINCIDENCE THAT THE DRC TEAM AND FIFA, THE WORLD CUP, IS HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME AS THIS EPIDEMIC IN THEIR COUNTRY WHERE THEY'VE HAD, LIKE I SAID, 17 EPIDEMICS BEFORE.
IT IS, UM, IT, IT, I FEEL MY HEART BREAKS FOR THAT COUNTRY, UM, AT A TIME WHEN IT SHOULD BE OF NATIONAL PRIDE FOR THEM.
THE WORLD CUP AND THE EBOLA OUTBREAK RESPONSE ARE IN PARALLEL AND NOT RELATED, UM, AND DO NOT IMPOSE I ANY, ESPECIALLY WITH THE TRAVEL.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE TRAVEL CONDITIONS
[00:40:01]
THAT CUSTOMS AND BORDER PATROL ARE ENACTING ARE NOT CREATING A, UM, ACROSS, I THINK OF, UH, OF, OF CONFLICT, UM, AS, AS IT PERTAINS TO HEALTH NOW, YOU KNOW, ECONOMIC IMPACT OR OTHER SOCIAL IMPACTS.I THINK THAT IS A, A DIFFERENCE SITUATION.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN, UM, OF TRAVEL TO ENJOY THE GAMES, WE SHOULD ALL FEEL VERY, VERY COMFORTABLE WITH ENJOYING ANY ACTIVITIES THAT WE WOULD THIS SUMMER.
AND LET ME REMIND YOU THAT, UM, EBOLA IS GOING TO GO, OR THIS OUTBREAK WILL BE OVER WHEN THE PROPER MEASURES ARE BEING ABLE TO BE TAKEN IN AFRICA, AND IT'S NOT GONNA BE DEPENDENT ON ANY TRAVEL OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE WORLD.
UM, SO, UH, WE ARE PREPARED TO, UM, IN PARALLEL.
SO WE'VE BEEN PREPARING AS A PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR A WHILE NOW ON A, ON, UM, THE WORLD CUP.
MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS PEOPLE SPREADING MEASLES OR PEOPLE SPREADING OTHER AIRBORNE DISEASES BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT VACCINATED.
AND YOU GAVE A GREAT REVIEW OF THE AIRPORT PERSONNEL AND LEADERSHIP AS YOU WERE THERE LAST NIGHT.
I, YES, I, UM, I AM REALLY SUPER IMPRESSED WITH THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM AND THE LEADERSHIP THERE, UM, AND HOW WELL THEY WORK, UH, AND, AND JUST ALL OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT, UM, WERE ON MY CHECKLIST AND THEY HAPPILY ALREADY HAD AN ANSWER TO MAYOR WOOD.
DR. TRAN, THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE.
UM, RESIDENTS ARE WATCHING ONLINE.
I RECEIVED A TEXT QUESTION, UM, BUT, UM, AND SHE WANTS TO KNOW WHAT'S BEING DONE FOR THE PASSPORT HOLDERS OR LEGAL RESIDENTS.
WILL THEY NEED TO QUARANTINE, OR WHAT SUGGESTIONS WOULD YOU HAVE AS OUR PASSPORT HOLDERS, UH, FOLKS THAT LIVE IN HOUSTON, RETURN BACK TO HOUSTON? THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO ARE RETURNING BACK TO HOUSTON, WHO HAVE WITHIN 21 DAYS BEEN IN DRC SUDAN OR, UM, UH, UGANDA, AWARENESS OF HOW YOU'RE FEELING AND, UM, FEVERS ANY SYMPTOMS OF ILLNESS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.
IF YOU ARE NOT WITHIN THAT TRAVEL GROUP, THEN YOUR, UM, THE RECOMMENDATION IS JUST LIFE AS NORMAL AS USUAL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE UPDATE.
YES, IF YOU, UH, I'LL ALSO SAY IF YOU, UM, ARE A PERSON UNDER MONITORING, YOU WILL KNOW IT BECAUSE YOU WILL HAVE GONE THROUGH THE SCREENING AND, UM, YOUR LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT WOULD HAVE CONTACTED YOU.
IF THAT'S NOT THE CASE, THEN YOU ARE AT NOT, YOU'RE NOT AT ANY HIGHER RISK TODAY THAN YOU WERE LAST MONTH.
UH, THANK YOU MAYOR FOR ADDING, UH, DR. TRAN IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO THE MAYOR REPORT.
UM, I HAVE COMPLETE CONFIDENCE IN YOUR EXPERTISE, YOUR UNIQUE SKILLSET AS A MEDICAL DOCTOR AND OUR PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, AND I'M SURE, UM, Y'ALL WILL TAKE THE RIGHT STEPS.
WE WITNESSED THAT DURING THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC, AND SO I HAVE COMPLETE CONFIDENCE IN THAT.
BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, BEING IN THIS SEAT DURING THE PANDEMIC WAS, UM, THERE LOTS OF SIMILARITIES, RIGHT? LARGE SCALE EVENTS, OUTBREAKS, THERE WAS HYSTERIA.
SO MY REQUEST WOULD BE, ONE, TO REDUCE MISINFORMATION ON THE INTERNET, UM, AND TO REAFFIRM, UM, OUR LOCAL COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC HEALTH.
WOULD YOUR OFFICE BE WILLING TO PROVIDE A SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED, UM, IN THE PROTOCOL SO WE CAN COMMUNICATE THAT REPEATEDLY? WHAT I RECALL DURING THE PANDEMIC WAS BECAUSE EVERYONE WAS HOME, RIGHT? WE TOLD 'EM TO GO HOME FOR TWO WEEKS AND WE'LL SEE YOU SOON.
AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE TWO YEARS.
UM, THERE WERE JUST A LOT, LOTS OF MISINFORMATION.
AND SO AS WE, UM, JUST REAFFIRM THAT THIS IS UNDER CONTROL AND THE CERTAIN PROTOCOLS, WE'LL LOVE IF YOU CAN SHARE THAT WITH OUR OFFICES SO WE CAN GET THAT TO, UM, CONSTITUENTS.
AS MEDIA CONTINUES TO FOLLOW THIS AND OTHER OUTLETS, I THINK IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO COME OUT AND LEAD AND, AND JUST, UM, UNDERSCORE THE CONFIDENCE IN OUR PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM.
AND I UNDERSTAND THE, UM, KNEE JERK REACTION AND THE ANXIETY TO ANY PUBLIC HEALTH DISEASE THREAT BECAUSE WE WERE SO RECENTLY RECOVERED FROM THE PANDEMIC.
I WAS A FRONTLINE EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PANDEMIC.
AND SO, UM, I, I KNOW HOW FEARFUL PEOPLE ARE, THE UNDERSTANDING OF VIROLOGY AND HOW A DISEASE SPREADS IS JUST AS IMPORTANT.
AND IN UNDERSTANDING HOW NERVOUS WE NEED TO BE
[00:45:01]
IN, UM, 2019, WE WERE DEALING WITH A, A HIGHLY TRANSMISSIBLE DISEASE THAT WE DIDN'T REALLY KNOW A LOT ABOUT.IT WAS BRAND NEW TO THE WORLD, AND, UM, WAS TRANSMISSIBLE THROUGH JUST THE AIR.
UM, AND, AND, AND THAT WAS A LOT OF, AND IT WAS CAUSING SYMPTOMS THAT WERE JUST BEWILDERING.
UM, SOMEBODY COMING IN WITH AN OXYGEN LEVEL IN THIS LIKE SIXTIES.
UM, SO IT, IT WAS, WE, IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WERE STILL LEARNING ABOUT AT THE TIME.
UM, EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE HAS A WELL-KNOWN VIROLOGY, HAS A WELL-KNOWN NATURAL HISTORY OF DISEASE, AND, UM, HAS A, A NO, A WELL-KNOWN WAY OF EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SPREAD.
AND SO WE'RE, IT'S A, AND IT'S A MUCH LESS TRANSMISSIBLE DISEASE, THOUGH IT DOES HAVE A HIGHER MORTALITY RATE.
UM, WE JUST KNOW A LOT MORE ABOUT IT, AND SO THERE'S NOT CAUSE TO BE FREAKED OUT, BUT I WILL, TO YOUR QUESTION, UM, HAVE THAT GUIDANCE OUT.
UH, COUNCILMAN C THANK YOU, MAYOR, DIRECTOR, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
IT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO GET FACTUAL, ACCURATE INFORMATION OUT WHEN WE HAVE PUBLIC HEALTH SITUATIONS ARISE.
AND YOU'VE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB, UH, GIVING US THE UPDATE, LETTING THE PUBLIC KNOW, UH, WHAT THE CURRENT SITUATION IS, UH, GETTING FACTS OUT AROUND THE SPREAD AND THE TRANSMISSION OF EBOLA.
AND, UH, I COMMEND YOU FOR THAT BECAUSE IT, IT HELPS COMBAT SOME UNNECESSARY FEAR, BUT ALSO GIVES FOLKS INFORMATION THEY NEED TO BE PREPARED, WHICH IS IMPORTANT.
AND SO I'LL CONTINUE TO AMPLIFY YOUR MESSAGE, UH, AROUND THIS TO MY CONSTITUENTS.
AND AGAIN, JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING TO PROVIDE A, A CRITICAL UPDATE.
THANK YOU COUNCILOR EVAN SHABAZ.
THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND GOOD MORNING.
AND THANK YOU DIRECTOR DR. TRAN FOR YOUR EXCELLENT AND INFORMATIVE READING BRIEFING RATHER.
AND MAYOR, I ALSO WANNA THANK YOU FOR ENSURING THE COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC RECEIVE CLEAR, TIMELY INFORMATION.
OUR CONSTITUENTS HAVE QUESTIONS AND BRIEFINGS LIKE THIS HELP, UH, CLARIFY MISINFORMATION, PROVIDE ACCURATE GUIDANCE ON HOW RESIDENTS CAN STAY SAFE AND EXPLAIN WHAT THE CITY AND OUR AIRPORT SYSTEM ARE DOING TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC.
SO I WANT TO AGAIN SAY THANK YOU, DR. TRAN, AND THANK YOU MAYOR FOR MAKING SURE THAT HOUSTONIANS HAVE THE INFORMATION THEY NEED.
DR. TRAN, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE REALLY EXCELLENT BRIEFING.
UM, I KNOW I FEEL BETTER AND I KNOW A LOT OF US KNOW THAT IT'S GONNA BE OKAY WITH YOU AT THE HELM.
UM, MY ONE QUESTION TO YOU IS MOVING FORWARD, IF HOUSTONIANS WANT TO SORT OF KNOW THE MOST UPTODATE INFORMATION AND WHERE YOU'RE AT AND WHAT YOU'RE WORKING ON, SHOULD WE DIRECT THEM TO THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE? IS THERE ANOTHER PLACE WHERE YOU WILL BE PUTTING OUT SORT OF UPTODATE COMMUNICATIONS? WHERE SHOULD WE DIRECT HOUSTONIANS TO SORT OF STAY UP TO DATE OR THEY HAVE QUESTIONS TO KNOW? THE LATEST WILL BE AT THIS PARTICULAR WEBSITE OR WEBPAGE.
UM, SO WE ARE GOING TO FOLLOW THE GUIDANCE OF THE CDC AND THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
THE CDC HAS PUT OUT GUIDANCE, AND THEN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT GUIDANCE IS GUIDED BY, BY EACH INDIVIDUAL STATE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE COULD EVEN DO LOCAL JURISDICTIONS, BUT, UH, THE WAY THAT WE ARE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, DEAL WITH UPDATED INFORMATION IS, UH, FOLLOW THE GUIDANCE, WHICH IS PUBLISHED BY THE CDC.
WE CAN, UM, WE, WE CAN CERTAINLY SHARE THAT INFORMATION AS WELL ON OUR OWN WEBSITE.
UM, WE ARE, AND, UH, THE MAYOR HAS MADE IT CLEAR, UM, I THINK THAT PUBLIC SAFETY AND PUBLIC HEALTH ARE OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
AND, UM, PUBLIC INFORMATION, THE CORRECT INFORMATION, WE'RE VERY TRANSPARENT.
WE WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
UM, I'M STANDING BEFORE YOU TODAY TELLING YOU WITH CONFIDENCE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT IT BEING A PUBLIC HEALTH THREAT IN HOUSTON.
IF THAT CHANGES, I PROMISE YOU, I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SLEEP UNLESS I WERE OUT THERE TELLING YOU THAT I'M TRULY WORRIED THAT, UM, THAT THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON.
OR EVEN IF I'M SLIGHTLY WORRIED BECAUSE THERE'S A BREAK IN THE SYSTEM SOMEWHERE.
UM, NOT BECAUSE I WANT PEOPLE TO BE ALARMED, BUT ALSO, BUT BECAUSE I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW, LIKE WHAT TO EXPECT IF THINGS MAY LOOK OR FEEL DIFFERENT AND, UM, WHAT THE PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM IS DOING TO PREPARE AND TO PROTECT FROM THAT.
TODAY, I AM TELLING YOU THAT WE ARE JUST READY AND WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT, UM, AT A PLACE WHERE WE NEED TO, TO, TO CAUSE PANIC OR ALARM OR, OR ANYTHING.
AND WE JUST NEED TO, HOUSTONIANS NEED TO BE, UM, HOUSTONIANS AND DO WHAT WE DO BEST, WHICH IS GO OUT, MINGLE, HANG OUT WITH EACH OTHER, WORK, PLAY, UM,
[00:50:01]
TAKE CARE OF OUR FAMILIES, SEE EACH OTHER, UH, SO THAT, THAT, THAT WILL ABSOLUTELY BE MY NUMBER ONE PRIORITY TO SHARE THAT MESSAGE.ON A PERSONAL NOTE, HOW OLD ARE YOU BABIES? UM, 10 MONTHS AND TWO YEARS.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, YOUR DEDICATION TO YOUR FAMILY AND TO PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND, UH, I HAVE COMPLETE CONFIDENCE IN YOU AND YOUR TEAM.
SO BE SAFE, UH, WORK WITH LOUIE AND MARY.
IF THE PRESS WOULD LIKE TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU, YOU'RE CERTAINLY WELCOME TO USE MY OFFICE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR HARD WORK.
[PUBLIC COMMENT]
SECRETARY INTO THE PUBLIC SESSION.OUR FIRST SPEAKER, MR. MEMBER RAMIREZ.
UH, PROCEDURAL MOTION MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE JACOB CLEMENTI TO THE ONE MINUTE AGENDA LIST MOTION.
WELL, WE DON'T, I DON'T SEE IT AN AGENDA LIST, SO IT WOULD BE THE ONLY SPEAKER ON THE AGENDA LIST.
DAVIS, UH, COUNCILOR DAVIS MOVE.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADD GERALD LEBO AND MR. UH, ALAN FREEMAN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE THREE MINUTE, UM, NON AGENDA LIST.
WHERE, WHERE DID YOU, WHERE DID YOU MOVE THOSE ONE TO THE BOTTOM.
I, I JUST WANNA ASK COUNCIL MEMBER, DID YOU MEAN TO MOVE THEM TO THE BOTTOM? TO THE BOTTOM? THE BOTTOM OF THAT THREE MINUTE.
THEY WANTED TO MOVE TO THE BOTTOM.
THEY WANTED TO MOVE TO THE BOTTOM.
THANK, THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
JACOB CLEMENTI TO BE FOLLOWED BY BEN MCFALL.
ITEM NUMBER 12 IS ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROCEDURES AND HOW Y'ALL, YOU GET INVOLVED WITH PARENTS COUNTY.
WELL, 'CAUSE 12 CARTER MS.
NOW THE OTHER ONE IS ABOUT NUMBER 20.
UH, MEMORIAL HARMON BEING WITH FIFA, UH, UM, GETTING THEM TO BE WITH THE FIFA AND THE FAN ZONE IS VERY GOOD BECAUSE THEY'RE SOME MONSTERS OF THE DYNAMO AND WELL, UM, AND THEY'RE IN THE KEY POSITION TO WORK WITH THE FENCES IN THE DYNAMO SECTION.
NOW IT'S AG TIME, A JOKE TIME.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE FAVORITE DEPAS OR, UH, FROM MEXICO?
OH, I FORGOT TO MENTION THANK THE CITY HALL MORE ACCESSIBLE.
YOU DID A GOOD JOB OF RUNNING THE WATER AROUND HERE THAT, UH, WE NEED TO BE MORE INVOLVED WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
BEN MCFALL TO BE FOLLOWED BY AL CASTILLO.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE HOUSTON APARTMENT ASSOCIATION.
UH, I, FIRST I'D LIKE TO START BY SAYING CONGRATULATIONS TO COUNCILMAN ZARE, UM, ON YOUR VICTORY AND BEING SWORN IN TODAY.
UH, THE ASSOCIATION LOOKS FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU, UH, IN THE FUTURE.
UM, SECOND, UH, WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU, UH, BUT ESPECIALLY THE MAYOR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS AND COUNCIL MEMBER CASTEX TATUM, FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT Y'ALL PUT INTO PASSING THE APARTMENT INSPECTION ORDINANCE EARLIER THIS MONTH.
UH, I KNOW IT WAS QUITE A LOT OF WORK, UM, AND I THINK WE ARE PLEASED WITH WHERE IT ENDED UP AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO BEING, UH, CONTINUING TO BE IN COMMUNICATION WITH AND
[00:55:01]
WORKING WITH YOU, YOU ALL, UH, AS WE IMPLEMENT THAT ORDINANCE.AND THEN FINALLY, UM, I'D LIKE TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE, UH, HOUSTON DEPARTMENT ASSOCIATION 2026 LEADERSHIP LYCEUM CLASS THAT IS HERE WITH US TODAY.
UM, AND I HOPE THAT YOU ALL WILL, UH, JOIN ME IN WELCOM ME THEM TO THEIR COUNCIL.
THANK YOU CASEY AND CIO MEMBERS.
AND THANK YOU TO THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION, BEN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER.
THANK YOU, BEN, FOR COMING DOWN HERE TODAY.
I MEAN, IT'S GREAT TO SEE WHERE INDUSTRY CAN WORK WITH THE GOVERNMENT TO TRY AND CRAFT SOME SMART ORDINANCES TO BENEFIT EVERYBODY.
UH, AND ALSO, UH, IT'S REALLY NEAT FOR THE LYCEUM.
UH, I THINK THESE, UH, PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH IT, IT WILL CERTAINLY BENEFIT FROM THEIR PROFESSIONAL CAREER FROM GOING THROUGH THIS.
NEXT AL CASTILLO TO BE FOLLOWED BY MARK RODRIGUEZ.
HONORABLE MAYOR WHITMEYER, UH, HONORABLE, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT OUR FIRST AMENDMENT, UH, AS PROVIDED BY THE CONSTITUTION, UH, AND THE PLIGHT OF HMS, UH, HOUSTON MEDIA SOURCE.
UH, SINCE IT'S MOVED DEEPER INTO THE, UH, EAST END COMMUNITY, IT HAS WOVEN ITSELF INTO THE FABRIC OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND IT'S A PLATFORM THAT WE BELIEVE THAT IS, UH, CONSISTENT AND CONSTANT WITH THE, UH, WITH THE COMMUNICATION THAT WE COULD PROVIDE FOR OUR, NOT ONLY EAST END COMMUNITIES, BUT THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
I, UH, I AM A, UM, A MEMBER OR A, UH, INVESTED MEMBER OF A NEW ORGANIZATION THAT'S JUST, UH, WE JUST, UH, RECENTLY, UH, FORMED.
IT'S CALLED SEEN, UH, SUPER EAST END NETWORK.
AND OUR, OUR MISSION IS TO TRY TO PROVIDE NETWORKING THROUGH ALL THE COMMUNITIES, NOT ONLY IN THE EAST END, BUT ACROSS THE CITIES.
WELL, I WAS ABOUT TO GO AHEAD, FINISH.
AND, UH, I THINK BECAUSE WE DID A, A NUMBER OF, UH, UH, A SERIES OF TOWN HALL MEETINGS ACROSS THE UNDERSERVED AND, UH, UH, UNDER, UM, RESOURCE COMMUNITIES.
AND WE PROVIDED INFORMATIONAL, UH, INFORMATIONAL, UH, ACTION TO WHAT TO DO WHEN, LIKE, UH, UH, HOW DO YOU, UH, FIGHT YOUR PROPERTY TAXES? DO YOU HAVE PROBATE? DO YOU HAVE A WILL? DO YOU HAVE, UH, THE SCHOOLS ARE BEING, UH, UM, CLOSED DOWN IN THE EAST END? THERE'S 11 OF 'EM FROM LAST COUNT.
SO WE DON'T HAVE, WE A GOOD AVENUE FOR EDUCATION UNLESS WE MOVE ACROSS THE CITY AND WE DON'T HAVE A PLATFORM TO, TO EXPRESS OUR, OUR DISCONTENT WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING TO OUR COMMUNITIES.
UH, AL THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
AND I, I SEE THAT THERE'S SEVERAL FOLKS THAT ARE HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT HOUSTON MEDIA SOURCE.
UH, MAYOR, UH, WITHIN THE LAST YEAR, IT MOVED INTO THE EAST END OFF OF NAVIGATION.
UM, I, AND WE ARE NOW TRACKING IT.
WE, UH, WHEN WE WERE GOING THROUGH BUDGET WORKSHOPS, WE REALIZED THAT THERE'S, UH, THERE WON'T BE ANY FUNDING FOR THE HOUSTON MEDIA SOURCE.
SO WOULD LOVE TO SIT DOWN WITH, UH, YOU AND YOUR TEAM, UH, TO IDENTIFY WAYS WHERE, UH, THIS PARTICULAR, UM, ASSET, UH, COULD BE, UM, STILL IN THE EAST END AND UTILIZED FOR, FOR WHAT IT'S, WHAT IT'S WORTH.
UM, AS I WAS MENTIONING, UM, IT PROVIDES AN OUTLET FOR A COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER.
I WAS AT A, UH, A BOOK, UM, SHOWING NOT TOO LONG AGO THERE.
UH, BUT THERE ARE ALSO OPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHER, OTHER, UM, HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGES, COLLEGE STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN, IN WHAT IT TAKES TO PUT ON PODCASTS AND SO ON.
SO, UM, I I'M JUST GONNA SPEAK TO YOU RIGHT NOW, AL AND THE REST OF THE, THE FOLKS, UM, MY TEAM AND I ARE TRACKING IT AND WE'RE GONNA SEE WHAT, WHAT CAN WE DO, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT SPACE, UH, BECOMES AVAILABLE TO, CONTINUES TO BE AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE AND THANKS FOR YOUR EFFORT.
UH, WE'LL BE GLAD TO MEET WITH YOU.
THERE ARE SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE TO SPEAK, UH, IN BEHALF OF THE HOUSTON MEDIA SOURCE, AND, AND I JUST WANTED TO, UM, CHIME IN WITH COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ IN REGARDS TO THE MEDIA SOURCE AND WHAT IT HAS DONE IN THE PAST.
IT'S BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN TERMS OF WHAT IT DO FOR THE EAST END, AS ONE WHO HAS USED IT ON MANY OCCASIONS OF THE PAST FROM SO MANY DIFFERENT AREAS.
I THINK IT'S, UM, SOMETHING I'VE MET WITH COUPLE OF, UH, PEOPLE TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN COME UP WITH SOME, YOU KNOW, METHODS AND WAYS ABOUT SUPPORTING THE MEDIA SOURCE, AND THANKS FOR THAT.
[01:00:01]
A PERSONAL, UH, IT'S A PERSONAL STRUGGLE FOR US AT SEEING BECAUSE WE HAVE TWO MAJOR PLAYERS, UH, THAT USE THE FACILITY AND ONE OF 'EM IS BLANCA BLANCO AND HER, UM, UH, VIVA MAGAZINE LIVE, AND THE OTHER IS TONY DIAZ WITH, UH, BABRA AND HIS, UH, WRITERS HAVING THEIR SAY.AND WE WANT TO TRAIN THE YOUNG PEOPLE COMING THROUGH, SO WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT, UH, THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS AND WE THINK THIS PLATFORM CAN HELP US OUT.
NEXT MARK RODRIGUEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY YOM HERNANDEZ.
YES, MY NAME'S MARK RODRIGUEZ.
I'M PRESIDENT OF, UH, OAKLAND, FLORIDA CIVIC ASSOCIATION.
ALSO OWN TWO BIDS IN THE SECOND WARD.
FIRST I WANNA START OFF BY THANKING THE MAYOR AND HIS CHIEF OF STAFF, AND OF COURSE, AMERIPRO.
TIM, Y'ALL ARE SO RESPONSIVE AND, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
AND I MEAN THAT VERY SINCERELY.
LAST NIGHT WHEN I GOT THAT MESSAGE, I WAS VERY IMPRESSED AT THE TIME, AND YOU WAKE UP VERY EARLY, MAYOR, BUT THANK YOU.
NEXT, I WANNA START OFF BY ADDRESSING SOMETHING TO COUNCILWOMAN LINAS.
THREE MONTHS AGO, I ASKED YOU TO RETURN MY PHONE CALL AND I HAVEN'T GOT A PHONE CALL YET.
I SAID, OKAY, WELL, LET ME CALL OUR CHIEF OF STAFF, SEE IF THEY CAN GET A PHONE CALL.
I HAD NOT GOT A PHONE CALL YET.
IT'S VERY DISHEARTENING BECAUSE I KNOW MY COUNCIL MEMBERS CASTILLO, BUT YOU'RE IN AT LARGE AND Y'ALL NEED TO DO BETTER WITH YOUR, YOUR STAFF AND ALSO COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILE, I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO ADDRESS STOP SIGNS ON A HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL ON A WEEKLY BASIS TO YOU.
THAT'S SOMETHING YOUR CHIEF OF STAFF, YOU GIVE THEM THESE TITLES AND THEY DON'T DO NOTHING.
HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN THAT WE'VE BEEN REQUESTING THESE STOP SIGNS ON OUR HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL EIGHT MONTHS AGO, AND NOW THEY CAME UP WITH, OH, WELL, PARKS AND RECREATION WAS CONFUSED.
IT'S VERY DISHEARTENING TO KEEP ASKING AND I APPRECIATE THE RESPONSE YOU GIVE ME, BUT YOU NEED TO WORK MORE WITH YOUR STAFF TO GET THEM MORE ON BOARD.
NEXT, I WANT TO START OFF WITH THE VETERANS AFFAIR.
MY FATHER'S A 92-YEAR-OLD VETERAN WHO NEEDS HELP, WHO HAD A STROKE A MONTH AGO, AND NOW HE'S NOT DOING WELL.
THE VETERAN'S AFFAIR DEPARTMENT, IT'S LIKE A BIG JOKE.
I MEAN, OH, WE'RE GONNA DO A ZOOM CALL AND I KNOW THIS GONNA HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH Y'ALL, BUT I STILL WANTED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM WITH MY FATHER AND VETERANS AFFAIR AIN'T REALLY HELPING ON 4 1 9 EMA OCCUPATION.
I REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU, MAYOR, AND Y'ALL DON'T MAKE OUR COMMUNITY THE DROPPING OFF SPOT FOR THE WHOLE CITY OF HOUSTON.
CLEAN UP OUR COMMUNITY WITH 4 1 9 BEFORE WE START GOING TO THE GALLERY AND PICKING 'EM UP AND DROPPING 'EM OFF IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD ON OUR HIKING BIKE TRAIL.
I ASKED THE COUNCIL MEMBERS SEVERAL TIMES FOR MONTHS ABOUT OUR STOP SIGNS ABOUT HIDING SPOTS WITH BRUSHES.
PARKING, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
PARTS AND RECREATION DON'T SEEM LIKE THEY SEE TREES THAT ARE HIDING SPOTS FOR COMMUNITY.
BUT, UM, THANK YOU MAYOR AGAIN, AND I COMMEND YOU AND YOUR STAFF.
I WISH ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE WORKING THE WAY Y'ALL WORK.
YOU NEED MORE TIME,
NO, WE'RE WE'RE GOING GO REAL BRIEF.
CHRISTOPHER SHANAHAN WITH PUBLIC WORKS.
I HAD AN ISSUE GOING ON WITH WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS AND CHRISTOPHER SHANAHAN STRAINED IT OUT.
AND I WANTED TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THAT AND WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER.
WE'RE GONNA ADDRESS YOUR CONCERNS.
MARK, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TO COUNCIL.
UM, I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT THE ISSUE IS.
I KNOW THAT WHEN WE SPOKE LAST, YOU HAD ASKED FOR ZOO TICKETS.
I KNOW OUR OFFICE PROVIDED THOSE TICKETS, BUT MY CHIEF OF STAFF, CHRIS CHU, IS HERE.
IF YOU CAN RAISE YOUR HAND, CHRIS, HE IS MORE THAN HAPPY TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT ANY CONCERNS YOU HAVE.
OUR FOCUS IS TO MAKE SURE WE ALWAYS ADDRESS CONSTITUENT SERVICES.
I'M SORRY YOU FELT YOU HAD TO COME TO COUNCIL TO GET A RESPONSE, BUT WE'RE HERE TO SERVE AND HOPE WE CAN DO OUR BEST TO HELP YOU.
COUNCIL WO COUNCIL MAYOR CASTILLO.
AND MARK, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU DOWN HERE.
UM, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN ENGAGED ON A NUMBER OF ISSUES, UH, REGARDING YOUR CONCERNS.
AND I WILL SAY, UM, IF MY STAFF ISN'T RESPONDING TO YOU AS MUCH AS YOU WOULD LIKE, THEY DO RESPOND TO YOU FREQUENTLY.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE ON THE PHONE, UH, ALMOST EVERY MEMBER OF MY TEAM WITH YOU MULTIPLE TIMES A WEEK.
WE HAVE FACILITATED SITE VISITS, WE HAVE FACILITATED RIDEALONGS, WE HAVE FACILITATED MEETINGS.
AND THAT HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL THAT YOU'RE BRINGING UP IS ABOUT TO GET A TWO POINT SOMETHING MILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT FROM THE TOURS.
SO YOU'RE NOT GONNA SEE A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS COME RIGHT NOW ONLY TO COME AND BE UNDONE WHEN THE TOURS COMES THROUGH TO RECONSTRUCT THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL AND ADD THE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS ASKED FOR.
[01:05:01]
LIKE STOP SIGNS, LIKE, UH, OTHER FEATURES ENHANCE LIGHTING, ET CETERA.SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU.
WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO SUPPORT.
UM, BUT I, I DON'T APPRECIATE MY TEAM BEING CALLED OUT FOR NOT BEING RESPONSIVE ENOUGH WHEN YOU ARE PROBABLY THE MOST CONTACTED PERSON IN THE DISTRICT H OFFICE.
UH, AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE COUNCIL MEMBER.
CAN I, THIS STOP SIGN THING HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR NINE MONTHS NOW SINCE I CAME AND ASKED THE MEPO TIM ABOUT THE STRIPES AND THEY GOT THE NEW STRIPING MACHINE.
OKAY? SO NOW TEARS ISN'T GONNA DO THIS PROJECT FOR ANOTHER TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
OKAY? SO YOU'RE TELLING ME MY COMMUNITY DON'T DESERVE THAT, LIKE THE HEIGHTS OR IS THIS, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MY COMMUNITY AND THE HEIGHTS? YOU ARE GETTING THE INVESTMENT THAT YOU WANT ON THAT HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL.
SO WE HAVE TO WAIT ALMOST THREE TO GET THIS DONE IS COMING.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO WAIT THREE YEARS TO GET STOP SIGNS WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.
IT'S NOT GONNA TAKE, IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN OVERNIGHT, RIGHT? BUT YOU'RE GETTING THE INVESTMENT, YOU'RE GETTING THE LIGHTS, YOU'RE GETTING THE CALL BOXES, YOU'RE GETTING THE SIGNS, YOU'RE GETTING THE SIGNS ON THE STREET IN ADDITION TO THE STOP SIGNS.
IT'S A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT AND IT'S COMING TO THE HARRISBURG HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL.
I, I'M REFLECTING IT RIGHT BACK.
SO Y'ALL CAN'T PUT SOME STOP SIGNS UP WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.
I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO GO PUT THE LIGHTS IN THE CALL BOXES.
WE CAN WAIT THREE YEARS FOR THAT.
WE, WE DON'T THINK OUR, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO BE ENGAGED WITH YOU, MARK, AND SUPPORT YOU ON, ON ALL THE ISSUES THAT YOU HAVE REQUESTED HELP ON FROM THE TRAIL TO THE BUSINESSES TO WEEDED LOTS, PARKING VIOLATIONS, ET CETERA.
WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO BE ENGAGED WITH YOU ON IT.
YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND MY CONCERN ABOUT THE HOMELESSNESS.
A HOMELESS GUY TERRIFIED MY 6-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER BY BANGING ON HER CAR THE OTHER DAY AT MCDONALD'S, AND HE'S VERY LUCKY I DIDN'T GET AHOLD OF HIM THAT DAY.
UH, MARK QUESTION, I JUST WANTED TO REFER BACK THAT YOU MENTIONED YOUR FATHER, YOU SAID YOUR 92 YEAR, HE'S A 92-YEAR-OLD KOREAN WAR VETERAN.
YEAH, HE WAS DOING FINE UP TO ABOUT SIX WEEKS AGO HE HAD A STROKE.
AND RIGHT NOW HE'S HALF PARALYZED AND WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO WORK WITH THE VETERANS AFFAIR DEPARTMENT TO TRY TO GET HIM HELP THAT HE WOULD NEED.
AND THEY DID A, THEY SAID, OH, WE'RE GONNA DO A ZOOM PHONE CALL.
THEN THEY CALL US BACK, OR THEY SENT AN EMAIL AND THEY SAID, OH, THE ZOOM THAT YOU HAVE TO WAIT THREE WEEKS FOR THE ZOOM PHONE CALL.
SO THEN MY MOTHER WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
SHE'S BEEN IN THE HOSPITAL EVERY, EVERY DAY FOR HIM.
ANYWAY, ON THE THIRD, ON THE SAME DAY OF THE CALL, WE GET ANOTHER EMAIL, SAY, OH, YOUR, YOUR MEETING'S BEEN CANCELED TO THE 21ST OF MAY.
AND THEN ON THE 21ST OF MAY, THEN THEY SAID, NOW WE'RE GONNA SEND YOU A LETTER.
YOU GOTTA WAIT FOR THE LETTER.
BUT I JUST THINK HE, HE DESERVES HELP AND HE'S NEVER ASKED FOR AN ABSOLUTELY FROM THE GOVERNMENT.
AND WE KNOW THAT IT COMES SLOW WITH A LOT OF US AS VETERANS.
IS HE AT THE VA? HE'S NOT AT THE VA.
HE'S, HE CAN MOVE HIS ARM AND LEG A LITTLE BIT.
BUT HE CAN'T PUT PRESSURE ON IT, SO THEY, THEY PUT 'EM IN AT MY BROTHER'S HOUSE.
SO LET ME, LET ME MEET WITH YOU AND, AND I TRY TO HELP YOU WITH THIS.
JUST REACH ME, THANK YOU'ALL AND I APPRECIATE YOU, MAYOR.
NEXT EM HERNANDEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY ANGELA BALDWIN.
UM, WANNA SAY FIRST, UH, MY NAME'S DAVID.
UH, I'LL BE INTERPRETING FOR M SHE'S GONNA GIVE HER TESTIMONY IN SPANISH AND THEN I'LL GO IN ENGLISH.
[01:10:28]
THANK YOU.I'LL SAY THAT WHAT SHE SAID RIGHT NOW IN ENGLISH.
UH, I'M A HEALTHCARE PROVIDER.
I'M A HEALTHCARE PROVIDER AND A RESIDENT OF NORTHEAST HOUSTON AND DISTRICT B.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE PROPOSED TRASH COLLECTION FEE.
I WORK VERY HARD, BUT EARN VERY LITTLE.
AND NEVERTHELESS, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER I STRIVE TO PROVIDE FOR MY FAMILY.
THIS NEW TRASH FEE WILL MAKE IT EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TO RAISE MY CHILDREN AND SAVE MONEY FOR THE FUTURE.
AT THIS MOMENT, MR. WHITMEYER, A LARGE PERCENT OF MY NEIGHBORS AND INDEED MY ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD, RELY ON FIXED INCOMES.
FURTHERMORE, MANY OF MY FRIENDS LIVE WITH DISABILITIES AND HEALTH ISSUES THAT PREVENT THEM FROM WORKING FULL-TIME.
WATER BILLS HAVE RISE NEARLY 66% OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
A CONSEQUENCE OF THE CITY'S DELIBERATE NEGLECT OF OUR SEWER SYSTEM TO YOU PAYING $5 FOR A MUNICIPAL SERVICE MAY NOT SEEM LIKE A SIGNIFICANT EXPENSE.
HOWEVER, WE ARE FACING A RISING COST FOR GROCERIES, RENT, AND OTHER BILLS, LITTLE BY LITTLE PENNY BY PENNY.
OUR COST OF LIVING CONTINUES TO CLIMB.
THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE PROPOSES THAT YOU ESTABLISH A PAYMENT SYSTEM THAT SCALES ACCORDING TO INCOME, UH, PROTECTING THE POOREST AND MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS IN ONE OF THE NATION'S POOR CITIES.
UH, THE SPECIFIC PROPOSAL AS FOLLOWS, UH, THE TRASH COLLECTION FEE SHALL BE PAID VIA A SLIDING SCALE BASED ON HOUSEHOLD INCOME WITH HOUSEHOLDS WITH AN INCOME, LESS THAN 60% SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM THIS FEE.
UH, HOUSEHOLDS WITH AN INCOME BETWEEN 60 AND A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE HOUSTON'S AREA'S MEDIAN INCOME SHALL PAY A FEE AT A REDUCED RATE, CAL CALCULATED AS A FUNCTION OF THEIR INCOME USING A CONSTANT GRADIENT.
HOUSEHOLDS WITH AN INCOME EXCEEDING A HUNDRED PERCENT SHALL PAY THE FULL FEE, UH, AND THE TRASH FEE PAID BY FAMILY SHALL BE BASED ON THE VOLUME OF WASTE THEY GENERATE RELATIVE TO THE HOUSEHOLD SIZE.
AND THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD WILL PAY THE AMOUNT CURRENTLY BEING PROPOSED AS A STANDARD FEE FOR ALL FAMILIES.
[01:15:43]
UM, UM, AND I'LL TRANSLATE IN ENGLISH FOR EVERYONE AS WELL.UM, I WAS, I WAS JUST, UH, OH.
UM, SO, UH, I WAS SHARING WITH MR. HERNANDEZ IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I WAS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST PROPONENT FOR A TRASH FEE, UH, FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.
I'VE SUBMITTED A BUDGET AMENDMENT, UM, THE LAST TWO YEARS.
THIS YEAR I WILL NOT SUBMIT A BUDGET AMENDMENT BECAUSE THERE IS A PATHWAY NOW, UH, AS WE'RE NOW MOVING SOLID WASTE INTO THE COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM.
UM, AND CREATING THAT ADMINISTRATIVE FEE.
UH, THROUGHOUT MY CONVERSATIONS OF A TRASH FEE, THERE'S ALWAYS ALSO BEEN, UH, TALKS OF WHAT DOES AN EXEMPTION LOOK LIKE.
THAT HAS NEVER LEFT THE CONVERSATION FROM ME.
UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S SACRIFICES THAT ARE, THAT ARE MADE, UH, BUT QUITE FRANKLY, THE, OUR TRASH SERVICES HAVE HAS BEEN UNDERFUNDED, UH, FACILITIES, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE HAS BEEN DEFERRED.
AND THIS IS A GREAT PATHWAY TO NOW, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING A CORE SERVICE THAT FOLKS REALLY UTILIZE ON A WEEKLY BASIS, SOMETIMES TWICE A WEEK.
UM, AND SO MY COMMITMENT TO MR. HERNANDEZ IS THAT OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS AS WE HAVE THIS ADMINISTRATIVE FEE IN PLACE, IS HOW DO WE IDENTIFY EXEMPTIONS FOR WORKING FAMILIES, FOR SENIORS, VETERANS, WHATEVER THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
UM, THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION FROM ME TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND HIS TEAM AND, AND THE MAYOR AS WELL.
UM, SO AGAIN, THIS IS A NECESSARY, UH, UM, STRUCTURAL REFORM THAT HAS BEEN NEEDED FOR DECADES, QUITE FRANKLY.
UH, SO WE'RE, I'M COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT WE DO SEE, UH, SOLID WASTE FINALLY FUNDED WHERE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE IN THIS YEAR'S, A LITTLE BIT OVER $130 MILLION.
HISTORICALLY, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS.
UM, AND SO, UH, THE WORK WILL CONTINUE, UH, ULTIMATELY.
WE'VE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE COME AND TALK ABOUT HAVING REDUCED RATES BASED ON INCOME.
DID Y'ALL HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS ON TO HOW WE WOULD COLLECT THAT DATA? 'CAUSE YOUR INCOME TAXES AREN'T SENT TO THE CITY, THEY'RE SENT TO THE IRS.
SO HOW WOULD WE GO ABOUT VERIFYING WHO MAKES WHAT? THAT QUESTION FOR ME? YEAH.
UM, WELL, WE DO HAVE PROPERTY TAX DATA AND THAT WAY WE, THAT WAY WE CAN DETERMINE, UM, PRETTY MUCH JUST, WE CAN BASE THAT RATE BASED ON THE ON, ON THE PROPERTY TAX, BUT THAT ONLY TELLS YOU WHAT THE PROPERTY'S WORTH.
BUT THAT ALSO MEANS LIKE A LOT OF FOLKS ARE LIVING IN, UH, PRETTY LIKE, LOW, UH, VALUE HOMES.
LIKE I KNOW OUR RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT B, UH, WE'RE PROBABLY NOT WELL, WELL BENEATH, UH, THE $875,000 THAT ARE PROBABLY, UH, WHERE WE WOULD BENEFIT FROM THIS TRASH FEE.
BECAUSE I THINK WHAT WE CALCULATED WAS THAT $875,000 WOULD BE WHERE, UH, IF WE SET IT AT TAX PROPERTY RATE, UM, WHERE, I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A CORRELATION BETWEEN HOUSING COST AND INCOME, BUT CERTAINLY NOT AN EXACT, IT'S NOT EXACT.
'CAUSE SOME PEOPLE MAY, LI MAY COULD BE RENTING FROM A, A HIGHER VALLEY HOME, BUT GENERALLY PEOPLE, OR EVEN LIVING IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S LOWER INCOME, BUT THEY MAKE HIGHER INCOME.
I MEAN, CERTAINLY THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT GONNA BE, BUT VERY, IT'S VERY RARE.
I KNOW, LIKE, AND ESPECIALLY JUST FOR ME, THERE'S NOT A VERY LARGE POPULATION MAKING OVER A HUNDRED K
UM, BUT THERE'S NOT A LOT PROPERTY VALUES THAT ARE WELL OVER $800,000 EITHER.
SO A LOT OF THE FOLKS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD BE, ONCE IT GETS TO $25 WOULD BE VERY HARD TO PAY.
UH, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE $300 A YEAR FOR TRASH.
THAT'S, I MEAN, THREE TRIPS TO THE GROCERY, LIKE, MAN, NOT EVEN, IT'S LIKE PROBABLY TWO TRIPS TO THE GROCERY STORE.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S GONNA MAKE IT VERY HARD FOR PEOPLE TO, TO LIVE AND PAY OFF ANY KIND OF DEBT THEY HAVE.
LIKE MS. JO WAS SAYING, SHE'S PAYING, UH, RENT RIGHT NOW, GROCERIES, BILLS.
UM, SO IT WOULD MAKE IT VERY HARD FOR HER, ESPECIALLY 'CAUSE SHE HAS KIDS WHO ARE NOW GRADUATING AND GOING TO COLLEGE AND SHE WANTS THEM TO GO TO, TO COLLEGE.
SHE'S GOTTA HAVE A WAY TO PAY FOR THAT.
[01:20:01]
OKAY.UM, IN RESPONSE TO COUNCIL MEMBER FLETCH'S QUESTION, AND I'M CURIOUS IF NAC HAS A VIEW, AS I'M SURE YOU ALL ARE AWARE, THERE IS A WATER FUND THAT THE CITY CURRENTLY HAS WHERE THEY DO PROVIDE DISCOUNTS TO PEOPLE WHO CANNOT PAY.
AND THERE'S A MECHANISM BY WHICH THE CITY ALREADY MAKES THOSE DETERMINATIONS.
I SEE NO REASON WHY THAT COULDN'T EXTEND TO THIS ADMINISTRATIVE FEE, GIVEN THAT THE BILL WILL COME UNDER THE WATER FUND.
DOES NAC HAVE A VIEW ON THAT? THANK Y'ALL.
NEXT, I HAD A QUESTION FOR JOSH.
IF, UH, WE COULD LOOK AT THAT, SEE IF THAT'S THE SCALING FEE, UM, CAN APPLY EQUALLY THE SAME WAY AND THEY PROBABLY SHOULD.
UM, ALTHOUGH I DON'T, I DO KNOW A LOT OF MY NEIGHBORS STILL COMPLAIN THAT THE WATER BILL IS STILL TOO HIGH OR MAYBE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH MAINTENANCE BEING DONE ON THESE METERS.
BUT, UM, MAYBE THAT JUST NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT AS WELL.
CERTAINLY AGREE MORE CAN BE DONE.
BUT I WANTED TO SEE IF YOU ALL HAD A VIEW ON WHETHER THERE WAS A SYSTEM IN PLACE THAT COULD WORK TO HELP ALLEVIATE THE CONCERNS OF FAMILIES, UM, OR SOMETHING AT LEAST TO LOOK INTO.
YEAH, I THINK WE, WHAT WE DID PROPOSE WAS, UM, USING IT BASED ON INCOME.
IF WE COULD PROBABLY FIND A WAY TO CHECK THAT WITH THE IRS AND WORK TOGETHER WITH, UH, OR FIND A WAY TO, TO CHECK THAT DATA.
UM, BUT THE EASIEST WAY, I THINK PROBABLY USING THE PROPERTY TAX DATA THAT WE HAVE.
ANGELA BALDWIN TO BE FOLLOWED BY MARIAN WRIGHT.
HELLO, MY NAME IS ANGELA BALLWIN.
I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF HOUSTON, A FORMER BLOOD SURVIVOR.
I AM A MEMBER OF THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE.
I'M HERE TO SPECIFICALLY ADVOCATE FOR THE COUNCIL TO INVEST AN ADDITIONAL $20 MILLION INTO THE ROADS, THE ROADSIDE DITCH REESTABLISHMENT PROGRAM.
SO FAR, THIS PROGRAM HAS SHOWN THAT IT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WAY WATER MOVES.
DITCHES ARE ONE OF THE MAIN DEFENSES WE HAVE AGAINST FLOODING.
AND THE CITY HAS NEGLECTED THIS FOR TWO DECADES.
IT SHOULDN'T TAKE THE THREAT OF A HURRICANE COMING IN ORDER FOR THE CITY TO ACT.
THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITIES SHOULDN'T FEEL SCARED WHEN IT RAINS FOR FEAR FLOODING.
I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE SEEN THE NEW FEMA FLOOD PLANS MAP.
MANY OF THE TOP NEIGHBORHOODS IMPACTED FACING OTHER THREATS, INCLUDING CITY GAS, GASS WOOD, FONTAINE PLACE, NORTHWOOD MANOR, AND EAST HOUSTON.
THERE ARE DECADES OF NEGLECT THAT THIS COUNCIL CAN HELP.
AND REMEMBER, THIS PROGRAM WILL IMPACT THE WHOLE CITY.
THE FASTER WE GO NOW, THE FASTER WE CAN GET TO REESTABLISH DITCHES IN OTHER DISTRICTS LIKE A KJ AND EVEN CI DO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS NOT THE FINAL SOLUTION.
DITCHES WON'T BE ABLE TO HOLD OR MOVE THE AMOUNT OF WATER UNDERGROUND DRAINAGE CAN.
BUT UNTIL ALL THAT ADVIL MONEY STARTS BEING USED FOR WHAT IT'S INTENDED FOR, THE DITCH REESTABLISHMENT PROGRAM IS THE BEST WE HAVE.
I AM ASKING ONE OR MORE OF THE MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL TO SPONSOR AN AMENDMENT FOR THIS $20 MILLION INCREASE.
NEXT, MARIAN WRIGHT TO BE FOLLOWED BY AMY GUCCI.
I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE A NEW FACE AT CONS MORE SO THAN MAYBE A LOT OF PEOPLE.
I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WHEN WE SPOKE, YOU PROMISED THAT YOU ARE GONNA LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY.
I AM NOT A MEMBER OR I DON'T LIVE IN DISTRICT C.
WE OWN PROPERTY AND DISTRICT CI CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES I WAS TOLD BY ANOTHER COUNCIL
[01:25:01]
MEMBER, YOU DON'T EVEN LIVE IN MY DISTRICT.THANK YOU FOR PROMISING TO LISTEN TO EVERYBODY.
NOW THAT YOU'RE IN THE SEAT AND YOU'RE THERE, I ALSO WANNA SHARE WITH YOU, THANK YOU FOR BEING ITALIAN.
EVERYONE ALWAYS SAYS YOU AND I HAVE SOMETHING COMING.
SO, UM, I KNOW THAT'S SILLY, BUT JUST THOUGHT I'D SHARE WITH YOU THAT, UM, BUT THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU FOR AGREEING AND PROMISING TO LISTEN TO EVERYBODY AND NOT JUST SMALL GROUPS AND POCKETS OF PEOPLE.
NEXT, AMY GUTIERREZ, SHE SAY, TO BE, TO BE FOLLOWED BY RICHARD LAREDO.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS AMY GUTIERREZ AND I AM HERE TODAY REPRESENTING FAMILIES FROM BROWNING ELEMENTARY, HOG MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND SURROUND OR GREATER HEIGHTS COMMUNITIES WITH A CLEAR AND URGENT REQUEST TO IMPROVE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.
AT THE INTERSECTION OF NORTHWOOD AND MAINE, AT NORTHWOOD AND MAINE, STUDENTS AND FAMILIES ARE EXPECTED TO CROSS FOUR LANES OF TRAFFIC WITH NO STOP SIGN, NO PROTECTED PEDESTRIAN CROSSWAY AND NO CROSSING GUARD VEHICLES ROUTINELY SPEED THROUGH THE FLASHING SCHOOL ZONE, LIGHTS AND COMMUTE AS COMMUTERS RUSH TO AND FROM I 45.
IT'S NOT JUST INCONVENIENT, IT'S DANGEROUS.
THIS INTERSECTION AFFECTS FAR MORE THAN ONE CAMPUS.
A SAFE CROSSING AT NORTHWOOD AND MAINE WOULD DIRECTLY IMPACT THE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES CONNECTED TO TRAVIS ELEMENTARY, BROWNING ELEMENTARY, HOG MIDDLE SCHOOL HEIGHTS HIGH, AND NUMEROUS DAYCARE AND EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTERS NEARBY HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES RELY ON THIS STREET EVERY SINGLE DAY.
OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN RAISING THESE CONCERNS FOR YEARS AND HAVE HAD MULTIPLE 3 1 1 REQUESTS SUBMITTED DATING AS FAR BACK AS 2016 REGARDING THE DANGEROUS CONDITIONS OF THIS INTERSECTION.
TIME AND TIME AGAIN, THESE CASES ARE CLOSED, YET NO MEANINGFUL SAFETY MEASURES ARE EVER IMPLEMENTED.
FAMILIES ARE LEFT FEELING IGNORED WHILE THE DANGER CONTINUES.
WE OFTEN HEAR ABOUT CREATING A MORE WALKABLE, HOUSTON, ENCOURAGING BIKING, REDUCING TRAFFIC CONGESTION, IMPROVING PUBLIC HEALTH.
BUT THOSE GOALS ONLY MATTER IF RESIDENTS ACTUALLY FEEL SAFE ENOUGH TO, SAFE ENOUGH TO USE THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
FAMILIES WHO WANNA BIKE TO SCHOOL OR SIMPLY JUST DON'T FEEL SAFE WITHOUT A PROTECTED CROSSING, THE COMMUNITY REMAINS DISCONNECTED AND VULNERABLE.
A HAWK SIGNAL AT NORTHWOOD AND MAINE WOULD CHANGE THAT.
IT WOULD CREATE A PREDICTABLE, CONTROLLED CROSSING FOR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN, PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND RESIDENTS.
IT WOULD SLOW TRAFFIC, IT WOULD IMPROVE VISIBILITY.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT WOULD HELP PREVENT A TRAGEDY BEFORE ONE OCCURS.
WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WAIT FOR A CHILD TO BE SERIOUSLY INJURED FOR THIS INTERSECTION TO BECOME A PRIORITY.
OUR COMMUNITY HAS ALREADY WORKED WITH DISTRICT AGE COUNCIL MEMBER TIA'S OFFICE, AND THERE IS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT IS NEEDED, BUT THE FUNDING DELAYS SHOULD NOT OUTWEIGH THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN.
WE ARE ASKING THE CITY OF HOUSTON PRIOR TO PRIORITIZE THE INSTALLATION OF A HAWK PEDESTRIAN CROSSING SYSTEM AT NORTHWOOD AND MAINE AND MOVE THIS PROJECT FORWARD WITH URGENCY.
WE'RE ALSO ASKING FOR A CLEAR TIMELINE BECAUSE FAMILIES HAVE ALREADY WAITED TOO LONG FOR THIS BASIC SAFETY MEASURE.
AND AMY, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
I SEE YOU'RE WEARING THE BROWNING SHIRT, RIGHT? I KNOW, UH, HOW IMPORTANT THIS PARTI PARTICULAR INTERSECTION IS TO YOU AND SO MANY OTHERS.
UH, YOU KNOW, UM, MAYOR, WHEN I DID MY RIDE ALONG WITH, UH, DIRECTOR MACKAY, NORTH MAINE WAS ONE OF THE CORRIDORS WE WENT DOWN.
UH, BECAUSE IT IS, IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF LANES AND WE HAVE FAMILIES CROSSING TO GET TO SCHOOL, UH, WITHOUT A LOT OF PROTECTION.
AND SO, UH, IT IS A PRIORITY FOR ME.
I KNOW WE HAVE BEEN ENGAGING SOME OTHER PARTNERS TO TRY AND BRING IN ADDITIONAL DOLLARS.
UH, I'M COMMITTED TO SEEING SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT HAPPEN THAT WILL OFFER THAT PROTECTION THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS SEEKING.
UM, AND YOU COMING DOWN HERE TODAY TO ADVOCATE FOR THAT WILL HELP AS WELL.
SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO STAY ENGAGED.
UM, HOPEFULLY THERE WILL BE SOME UPDATES SOON TO SHARE, BUT KNOW THAT IT IS CONTINUES, IT CONTINUES TO BE A PRIORITY FOR ME.
MAY I ADD ONE POINT AS WELL? YEP.
THIS CROSSING WILL ALSO ADD, UM, A SAFETY MEASURE FOR PEOPLE TO GET TO MONTE BEACH PARK, WHICH HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS ONE OF THE, LET'S PLAY HOUSTON PARKS.
SO IT WILL DIRECTLY IMPACT THAT MEASURE AS WELL.
WE'LL WORK WITH COUNCILMAN CASTILLO AND MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN.
[01:30:12]
VIVIAN ALLEN TO BE FOLLOWED BY CHRISTOPHER FIELDS.RESPECT TO ALL, UH, MY NAME IS VIVIAN ALLEN.
I'M, UH, A RESIDENT OF NORTHWOOD MANOR.
I'VE BEEN THERE FOR HALF OF MY LIFE.
I'VE BEEN IN HOUSTON FOR 69 YEARS, AND TODAY I'M SPEAKING ON TWO THINGS.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL ON THE $20 MILLION FLOOD INTO THE FLOOD DITCHES AND RE RE RETIREMENT PROGRAM IN MY LIFETIME.
I'VE LIVED IN THE FLOODED THREE TIMES IN OUR HOME, AND IT GETS HARDER AFTER EACH FLOOD IN THE NORTHWOOD MANOR AREA.
JUST IF YOU, IF YOU SAY RAIN, NORTHWOOD MANOR WILL FLOOD.
UM, MY CONCERN IS NOT JUST FOR ME, BUT FOR THE RESIDENTS IN MY AREA AS WELL.
I'M IN MY FAMILY'S HOME WHERE I WAS BLESSED WHEN MY PARENTS PASSED AWAY.
MY, MY, ME AND MY DAUGHTERS WERE HOMELESS.
SO NOW THAT WE ARE THERE, BOROUGH HIT AND IT TOOK DOWN EVERY PINE TREE COULD THINK OF IN OUR AREA, LEFT WITH THE WOODS BEHIND ME.
THERE IS, IT HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN DOWN IN 30 YEARS.
I ALSO WANT TO SPEAK ON THE FACT THAT WHEN BOROUGH HIT, POWER LINES FAIL.
THERE ARE STILL POWER LINES DOWN.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE CONNECTED TO OR WHO THEY'RE CONNECTED TO, BUT I'M NOT, I CAN'T EVEN ALLOW MY GRANDKIDS TO PLAY IN THE BACKYARD.
WE CAN'T GO IN THE BACKYARD BECAUSE THE MANHOLE IS IN MY BACKYARD AS WELL.
WHEN IT RAINS REALLY HARD, IT COMES UP IN MY BACKYARD, IN MY BATHTUB, IN MY TOILET.
SO IF YOU, AFTER A RAIN SOMETIME YOU CAN COME THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU'LL SEE THREE OR FOUR PLUMBERS IN THE DRIVEWAY BECAUSE THE SEWER IS BACKED UP AS WELL AS THERE ARE STILL BIG TALL TREES IN MY YARD THAT I PRAY EVERY NIGHT THAT WHEN IT RAIN, GOD, PLEASE DON'T LET THE TREE FALL IN THE HOUSE.
NOT THAT IT'S A CITY'S PROBLEM, BUT I WAS TAUGHT YOU HAVE NOT, BECAUSE YOU ASKED NOT.
I HAVE NOT THE FUNDS TO HAVE THAT TREE REMOVED.
SO I'M COMING TODAY ASKING THE CITY TO PLEASE LOOK INTO IT, AT LEAST.
IS THE TREE FALLING? IS HAS THE TREE ALREADY FELL? THAT ONE HASN'T FALLEN.
THE THE ONES THAT FELL ARE, THEY WERE CUT UP, BUT IT'S ONE NOW THAT'S RIGHT ON MY HOUSE.
YOU'RE VERY, YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT AN EXISTING GROWING TREE.
UH, THE TREE THAT YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT YES.
IS NOT A TREE THAT'S FALLEN DOWN FROM BARREL OR OTHER STORY.
YOU HAVE A GROWING TREE THAT YOU BELIEVE IS A THREAT, RIGHT.
BUT I'M GONNA LET YOU TALK TO REBECCA WILLIAMS WHEN YOU GET THROUGH.
AND WE WILL FIND EITHER A CITY OR WE'LL COLLABORATE WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND ADDRESS THAT FOR SURE.
AND WE'LL HAVE PUBLIC WORKS VISIT AND SEE IF THERE'S A DRAINAGE PROBLEM, A C CLOGGED PROBLEM, OR WHAT YOUR SPECIAL CONCERNS ARE.
COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON? NO, THANK YOU MAYOR.
AND THANK YOU MS. ALLEN FOR COMING IN AND, UM, RAISING THESE ISSUES.
UM, THERE ARE SOME DRAINAGE PROJECTS THAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, UM, IN NORTHWOOD MANOR.
AND I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH REBECCA TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN YOUR BACKYARD WITH THE TREE AND THE POWER LINES.
BUT ALSO, I JUST WANNA ENCOURAGE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WORK WITH THE, UM, THE CIVIC CLUB OR THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS IN THAT AREA, THE CIVIC CLUB.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET CONNECTED.
EXCUSE, I'M REALLY, REALLY HARD UP HERE IN MY EAR.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET, UM, CONNECTED WITH THE CIVIC CLUB IN THAT AREA.
[01:35:01]
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE'LL TALK WITH YOU OUT THERE AND JUST MAKE SURE YOU CONNECTED AND GET YOUR ADDRESS SO THAT WE CAN COME OUT AND CHECK ON THE SITUATION.THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HEARING ME, AND Y'ALL HAVE A NICE DAY.
NEXT CHRISTOPHER FIELDS, SHARON CHASE TO BE FOLLOWED BY SHEILA TRASK.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR CITY, THE COUNCIL.
MY DAUGHTER SAYS, HI, YOUR FORMER EMPLOYEE.
THIS IS A FULL CIRCLE MOMENT FOR ME.
I WAS RAISED BY PUBLIC TELEVISION IN THE MEAN STREETS OF PHILADELPHIA.
SO BEING HERE IN HOUSTON, BEING ABLE TO NOW BE A PRODUCER, BECOME A PRODUCER THROUGH THEIR PROGRAM AND THEIR TRAINING, AND TO HAVE MY OWN SHOW ON PUBLIC TELEVISION IS A AWESOME MOMENT.
AND SO FREE SPEECH IS THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS, AS THEY SAY THAT WE HAVE TO PROTECT AS A CITIZEN AT THE TOP OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHART.
I HAVE MY OWN, UM, MEDIA COMPANY CALLED ICON IMAGE MEDIA PRODUCTIONS.
AND, UM, THE MEDIA GIVES US A VOICE.
YOU KNOW, IT GIVES US A VOICE AND IT PRESERVES THE VOICE OF YOU GUYS UNTIL VOTING TIME, BECAUSE WE COME IN CONTACT WITH ALL THOSE PEOPLE ON THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL.
AND THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE CAN MAKE IMPACT, IS ON THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I'M HERE BECAUSE I'M REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS, UH, PUBLIC TELEVISION BECAUSE IT HELPS TO SUPPORT, UH, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.
IT HELPS TO SUPPORT JOBS FOR OUR YOUTH.
SO YOUTH ENGAGEMENT IS, IS SAFETY WHERE I CAME FROM.
IF THE YOUTH HAD SOMETHING TO DO, THEN THE STREETS WERE SAFE.
SO THE HOUSTON MEDIA BECOMES THEN AN OFFENSE AND THE POLICE BECOME THE DEFENSE.
AND SO, UM, THE YOUTH ENGAGEMENT, IT ALSO GIVES US VISIBILITY, WHICH CREATES OPPORTUNITY.
AND IN THIS TIME, IN THIS ECONOMY, WE NEED AS MUCH OPPORTUNITY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
AND FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD, UH, HOUSTON MEDIA IS, UH, CONTINUING TO UPGRADE THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE TO BECOME A HUB, WHICH ALSO WORKS INTO THE, UH, GOVERNOR'S INITIATIVE, UH, FOR TALENT.
THEY WANT THIS TO BE A TALENT HUB.
THERE'S A LOT OF TALENT IN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOUR DISTRICTS.
UM, HOUSTON MEDIA WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO SUPPLY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST THINKING ABOUT IT BEING ON A CHOPPING BLOCK, UM, YOU KNOW, IT MAKES ME A LITTLE MISTY.
UH, IT MAKES ME THINK ABOUT, UM, I'M GETTING READY TO DATE MYSELF.
MAKES ME THINK ABOUT, UH, WHEN, UM, I WAS TALKING TO MY DAUGHTER AND I TOLD HER, I SAID, YOU KNOW, TELEVISION DIDN'T ALWAYS STAY ON.
SHE SAID, WHAT YOU MEAN TELEVISION WENT OFF? I SAID, YEAH, THE LITTLE B CAST THING WOULD COME ON.
AND THE NATIONAL ANTHEM WOULD BE SAD.
THE LITTLE BOO WOULD COME, THEN THE SNOW WOULD COME.
THEY GAVE US SNOW AND THEN IT BLACKED US OUT.
SO I'M HERE TO SAY TO YOU TODAY, DON'T BLACK US OUT.
NEXT SHEILA TRASK TO BE FOLLOWED BY CHRISTOPHER GOODIN.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, I STAND TO YOU.
STAND WITH YOU TODAY ON BEHALF OF HOUSTON MEDIA SOURCE.
I WAS 65 YEARS OLD AND I WENT INTO THE STUDIO.
I DIDN'T KNOW A THING ABOUT A CAMERA.
I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT EDITING.
I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING BUT HOW TO TAKE A PICTURE.
AND THEY SAID, WELL, COME TO HOUSTON MEDIA SOURCE ORIENTATION.
I'M 72 YEARS OLD NOW, AND THEY HAVE WORKED WITH ME AS A SENIOR, WHICH MEANS THEY HAD TO SLOW DOWN.
THEY HAD TO TALK ENGLISH, MY LANGUAGE.
THEY HAD TO GIVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY THAT I NEEDED TO BECOME ONE OF THEIR SUCCESSFUL PRODUCERS.
SOMETHING GOOD IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN IS BY THE COMM FOR THE COMMUNITY, BY THE COMMUNITY.
AND I ALSO TRAVELED AND BRING CONTENT TO THE STUDIO.
[01:40:01]
WE CLOSE OUR DOORS.YOUR CLOSING DOORS ON FUTURE, UH, SENIORS, THEIR GRANDCHILDREN, EVEN THEIR GRANDCHILDREN.
WE'RE READY TO HAVE OUR 40 YEAR ANNIVERSARY.
HOUSTON MEDIA SOURCE HAS BEEN OPEN, HAS BEEN TRAINING PRODUCERS, DIRECTORS, SCREENWRITERS.
WE CAN'T ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN.
I HAVE A COOKING SHOW I WANNA BRING FORTH.
I HAVE OTHER MEMBERS THAT ARE SENIORS THAT LIVE IN MY BUILDING THAT ARE INTERESTED IN WHAT I DO.
WE HAVE TO KEEP GOING AND WE HAVE TO BE STRONG AND WE CAN DO IT.
SOMETHING GOOD IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN TO HOUSTON IF YOU ALLOW US TO LET IT HAPPEN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HEARING ME.
SO WHY ARE THE DOORS CLOSING? WELL, IT'S FUNDING.
HOW MUCH FUNDING WE NEED MILLIONS.
AND SO WHERE DO YOUR RESOURCES NORMALLY COME FROM? THEY WILL NOW BE COMING FROM DONATE DONATIONS.
WHERE WERE YOU GETTING FROM AT FIRST? NONPROFIT.
CHRISTOPHER GOODEN, GEORGE LA BLANCHE TO BE FOLLOWED BY THEODORE CARRERO.
I GREETINGS COUNCIL MEMBER SCREENING TO ALL OF YOU.
UH, THERE'S A, UH, HANDOUT BEING PASSED OUT.
UM, GREETINGS MAYOR WHITMEYER AND CITY COUNCIL ON MAY 21ST, I THANK YOUR OFFICES AND YOUR STAFF FOR MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO SPEAK WITH THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR MR. PRENTICE COLLINS.
ON THAT DAY, DEPUTY DIRECTOR PRENTICE COLLINS AGREED WITH MY RECOMMENDATION AND AGREED WITH MY INITIATIVE TO APPEAR AND APPEAL TO THIS CITY COUNCIL FOR FUNDING TO HIRE TWO TWO ADDITIONAL CERTIFIED FIRST RESPONDER LIFEGUARDS AT EACH OPEN 2026 AQUATIC FACILITY.
AS AN AQUATIC SUPERVISOR OF 16 YEARS, I, GEORGE LEBLA HAVE BEEN PRIVILEGED BY THIS GREAT CITY TO LEAD, TRAIN, MENTOR, AND INSPIRE CERTIFIED AQUATIC FIRST RESPONDERS, AKA LIFEGUARDS SINCE 1988, BUT COMPOUNDED AND COMPACTED IN THE MIDST OF AN EPIC HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATIONS, DEPARTMENTAL RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION FAILURE.
THE CURRENT MINIMAL NUMBER OF REQUIRED AQUATIC FACULTY STAFF IS UNSAFE FOR THE FOLLOWING, BUT NOT LIMITED REASONS.
29 OF THE TOTAL 38 POOL FACILITIES REQUIRE THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF FOUR TO FIVE LIFEGUARDS WHEN ONE OR TWO LIFEGUARDS, WHEN ONE OR TWO LIFEGUARDS ARE NO LONGER EMPLOYED OR ABSENT FOR INFINITE REASONS, INCLUDING SUMMER OBLIGATIONS, ACTIVITIES, PROGRAMS, AND SUMMER SCHOOL.
THE OPERATIONAL SAFETY MINIMUM FACULTY STAFFING COVERAGE NUMBER, COVERAGE NUMBER IS COMPROMISED AND UNSAFE.
RESPECTFULLY, I AM PLEADING WITH THIS MAYOR AND THIS CITY COUNCIL TO AVERT A POTENTIAL LOSS OF LIFE EVENT DUE TO CRITICAL DIRE UNDERSTAFFING OF CERTIFIED FIRST RESPONDER LIFEGUARDS COUNCIL.
COUNCILMAN JACKSON? WAS THAT FROM LAST TIME? SORRY.
UH, HE ASSURES US THAT IT'S SAFE.
WE'LL DEFINITELY HAVE HIM TAKE A SECOND LOOK BASED ON YOUR TESTIMONY.
AND, UM, WOULD, WOULD I, AND FIRST I WANT, I WANNA THANK YOU AND YOUR CHIEF OF STAFF 'CAUSE THEY REALLY DID ASSIST ME IN HAVING THEIR COMMUNICATION WITH MR. COLLINS.
UH, SO CAN I CHECK BACK WITH YOU ALL ABSOLUTELY.
UH, YOU ONLY MET, UH, MR. ALLEN WAS OUT ON, ON FAMILY BUSINESS.
SO HE'LL, HE'S BACK THIS WEEK, SO I'LL BE TAKING THIS UP WITH HIM.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE VERY PROUD THAT THE POOLS ARE OPEN.
IN RECENT YEARS THEY'VE BEEN CLOSED AND, UH,
[01:45:01]
HE'S A VERY COMPETENT DIRECTOR AND SAFETY IS HIS HIGHEST CONCERN.SO LET ME GET WITH HIM AND WE'LL STAY IN CONTACT.
NEXT, THEODORE CARRERO, STEVE WILLIAMS. ALAN FREEMAN TO BE FOLLOWED BY GERALD LEBO.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA, CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME NOW, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA SAY, UH, THIS MUST BE A GREAT DAY TO BE, UH, ZOELLA.
IS THAT THE GUY? YOU GOT A WHOLE PRAYER BY YOURSELF, BROTHER.
UM, THIS WHAT, YOU KNOW WHAT, BEFORE I START EDWARD POLLARD, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING A STANDUP BROTHER.
YOU ARE VERY RESPECTED OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
I WORKED 12 YEARS IN THE HOUSE OF REP FOR RON WILSON, AND YOU REMIND ME OF CRAIG WASHINGTON.
YOU KNOW, MICKEY LELAND KEEPS STRIVING BROTHER.
AND I KNOW YOUR MOM WOULD BE PROUD.
SHE AND DR. FREEMAN TOOK US AROUND THE WORLD.
WE PERFORMED AT SOME OF THE BEST UNIVERSITIES AND AND THEATERS IN THE WORLD.
AND, UH, SHE WAS, LEMME TELL YOU, SHE, IN 1984, I BELIEVE, JULY 12TH, SHE WAS WALKING AROUND NINE MONTHS PREGNANT AND HANDLING.
AND I BELIEVE A WEEK LATER YOU WERE BORN.
BUT LOOK, UH, THIS REMINDS ME OF A TIME I SPENT WITH SYLVESTER TURNER.
UH, THIS WAS 2016, KEVIN HART'S PRODUCTION, UH, HEARTBEAT PRODUCTION.
THE HEART OF THE CITY AND COMEDY CENTER HAD COME TO THE CITY TO, UH, TO DO THIS MAJOR PRODUCTION.
AND KEVIN HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN WITH KEVIN AND THEY TALKED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITIES OF, OF WHAT HOUSTON HAD, WHAT WE COULD DO IN THIS CITY WITH THE LEVEL OF TALENT WE HAVE AND PRODUCERS THAT WE HAVE.
AND THEN THAT FOLLOWED WITH BET COMING IN AND THEN SHOWTIME AT APOLLO AND ALL OF THAT.
AND WHAT KEVIN EMPHASIZED TO SYLVESTER, WELL, I THINK HE REALLY HEARD, HE SAYS, Y'ALL MISSING SOME GREAT REVENUE.
THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY THAT COULD BE GENERATED FROM BRINGING THESE KIND OF PRODUCTIONS TO THE CITY.
THIS IS WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT, GUYS.
I MEAN, OUR, MY FAVORITE COMEDIAN STEPHEN COLBERT, WAS JUST OFF.
BUT HE'S GONNA END UP ON PUBLIC ACCESS TELEVISION DOING A SHOW.
AND HOUSTON HAS A GREAT WEALTH OF TALENT.
THE THE UPSIDE FOR US OR FOR OUR POLITICIANS, IT SITS IN A COMMUNITY THAT IS BEING, I SAY RE GENTRIFIED, BUT IT'S BEING MADE WHOLE.
AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNELED WITH PRIMARILY A WEALTH OF HISPANIC TALENT.
WE, WE ARE MISSING THE BOAT ON THIS.
AND I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD THE, YOU KNOW, CHICAGO AND, AND, AND LOUISIANA, NEW ORLEANS ARE GETTING ALL THESE MAJOR PRODUCTIONS.
WE HAVE A FACILITIES RIGHT ON NAVIGATION.
THOSE FACILITIES ARE EQUAL TO ANY MAJOR STUDIO PRODUCTION.
I KNOW I WORKED 12 YEARS, ALSO ANOTHER 12 YEARS FOR, UH, UH, WB AND STEVE HARVEY.
AND I'M TELLING YOU, IT'S NO DIFFERENT.
WHAT THEY HAVE OVER THERE IS NO DIFFERENT.
WHAT'S, WHAT I THINK THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT IT'S NOT BEING UTILIZED.
WE'RE NOT TAPPING INTO THE QUALIFIED TALENT THAT CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
UM, DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU HAD SOME MORE COMMENTS, BUT IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO FINISH UP, YOU CAN HAVE MY TIME.
UM, AS I SAID, I, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK CLOSER WITH STEVE HARVEY AND ANOTHER TALENTED BROTHER, RASHAN MCDONALD, WHO'S ONE OF THE TOP PRODUCERS IN HOLLYWOOD NOW REPRESENTING STEPHEN A. SMITH AND YOLANDA ADAMS AND SOME OTHER FOLKS.
WE HAVE ACCESS ALSO TO MAJOR PRODUCERS THAT CAN COME IN THIS CITY AND ASSIST US.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT I THOUGHT, I THOUGHT AS A COMEDIAN WHEN I TOLD YOU, WHEN I SAID THE WORDS TO THE COUNCIL, THAT MORE REVENUE FOR THE CITY, THAT EVERYBODY WOULD'VE GOT HAPPY.
BUT, UH, MAYBE WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY ALREADY.
MAYOR, DO WE, ARE WE, WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY.
[01:50:01]
UH, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT VENTURE OVER THERE IN THAT PART OF THE CITY.IT IS A POSSIBLE HOLLYWOOD STUDIO THAT CAN HAPPEN RIGHT THERE IN OUR CITY.
WE CAN BRING MAJOR PRODUCTIONS HERE.
WE ARE ALWAYS HAVING, YOU KNOW, MAJOR STARS COME HERE.
I'VE WORKED WITH STEVE HARVEY, I'VE WORKED WITH DAVE CHAPPELLE, I'VE WORKED WITH KEVIN, I'VE WORKED WITH CHRIS ROCK.
AND YOU GUYS ARE NOT EVEN AWARE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN OFFER TO KEEP THOSE PEOPLE IN THE CITY AND BRING THEIR PRODUCTIONS HERE.
THIS IS THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY IN THE WORLD.
UH, AS FAR AS, UH, LOCALES, UH, FILMING.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPE OF LOCALES HERE IN HOUSTON WHERE WE CAN CREATE ANY PART OF THE NATION BY GOING TO A DIFFERENT PART OF THE CITY AND SHOOTING IN THAT PARTICULAR CITY.
SO I WOULD, UH, I, I IMPLORE YOU GUYS TO MAKE THIS STEP.
AND I TALKED ABOUT YOUR MOTHER AND SHE'S A PROFESSOR OF THEATER.
IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT WE FOLLOW UP FOLKS AND, AND THE, AND THE REASON WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME IS BECAUSE SYLVESTER COMMITTED TO IT.
HE SAW THE VISION AND WE SHOULD HONOR SYLVESTER BY DOING WHAT HE SAID HE WOULD DO WITH KEVIN HART.
LET'S BRING MORE PRODUCTION TO THIS CITY AND DON'T CLOSE HOUSTON MEDIA SOURCE BECAUSE THAT IS A CROWN JEWEL FOLKS.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, UH, JOINING US THIS MORNING.
I GRADUATED FROM THE DAN RATHER SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATIONS AT SAM HOUSTON STATE FROM MY UNDERGRAD.
AND MANY OF MY PEERS IN THE RADIO TELEVISION PROGRAM.
HE PROBABLY AT THE PARTIES THOUGH.
UH, WELL, YOU BANKS WAS MY GUY
UM, THEY CUT THEIR TEETH AT HOUSTON MEDIA SOURCE.
UM, THE FIRST TIME I READ ON THE TELEPROMPTERS.
'CAUSE A FRIEND OF MINE WAS WORK LIKE DOING SOMETHING THERE.
UM, SO I UNDERSTAND THE VALUE IN THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT FOR ALL THE SPEAKERS WHO HAVE JOINED.
WE HAVE SUCH A, A CREATIVE ECONOMY AND, UH, MANY FOLKS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT HAVE GONE ON TO DO GREAT THINGS HAVE ALWAYS COME BACK TO SAY, I WOULD'VE LOVED TO FILM HERE IN MY CITY.
UM, I THINK AMMO AMER, UM, WHO FILMED HIS NETFLIX SPECIAL IN HOUSTON INTENTIONALLY, UM, FOR THAT REASON.
WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO RECREATE ANY PART OF THE WORLD.
AND I THINK IT'S, IT'S MORE THAN JUST SIMPLY ABOUT REVENUE.
IT'S REALLY ABOUT RETAINING THE SAME TYPE OF PRIDE.
YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE THAT, UM, UH, GROW UP IN THIS CITY.
AND THERE'S, AND I ABSOLUTELY, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, AND I'M JUST SHOCKED THAT THE HOUSTON MEDIA SOURCE, THAT THIS IS EVEN A CONVERSATION THAT THE DOORS, I I'M, THAT'S RIGHT.
UM, BUT I THINK IT SPEAKS TO THE, THE LARGER MINIMIZATION OF THE IMPACT OF, OF PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS, PUBLIC TV.
I GREW UP ON PUBLIC TV AS WELL.
I STILL WATCH OUR HTV, ALL OF OUR, ALL OF OUR ASSETS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON WAS ASKING ABOUT.
LIKE, WELL, WHAT IS THE, WHAT'S THE GAP? AND I, I, IF YOU WILL ALLOW US, I THINK TO, YOU KNOW, HELP IN A PUBLIC SPACE TO UM, RAISE THE ALARM, RAISE THE FLAG TO PEOPLE TO SAY IF WE VALUE THESE COMMUNICATIONS.
AND YOU MADE A GREAT POINT ABOUT COLBERT.
HE'S LITERALLY ON PUBLIC ACCESS GENERATING MORE VIEWS THAN WHEN HE WAS ON A MAINSTREAM CHANNEL.
SO, UH, WE HAVE THAT SAME OPPORTUNITY IN HOUSTON.
AND HOWEVER I CAN LET MY SUPPORT PLEASE COUNT ON IT.
WELL, LET, LET ME SAY THIS ABOUT WHEN YOU GUYS ASK ABOUT THE REVENUE, WHAT'S NEEDED, WELL, BY BEING ON A MAJOR PROJECTION OF WB, WE NEED ABOUT $20 MILLION.
NOW YOU SAID, HOW WOULD YOU FUND THIS? WELL, I TOLD YOU THAT IT CREATES REVENUE.
SO THE SPACE NEEDS TO BE OPEN TO CREATE THE REVENUE THAT WE CAN PUT INTO THESE PROJECTS.
WHY ARE WE LETTING IT AUSTIN GET AWAY WITH ALL OF THE MAJOR STUFF? I MEAN, THERE ARE SOME THINGS IN LIFE THAT WE SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS AIN'T NECESSARY I CAN DO WITHOUT THIS.
WE GOT ANOTHER THING THAT WE NEED TO PUT THIS COST ON, BUT NOT THE ARTS MAN.
I THINK WE'VE, UH, HAD A LOT OF TESTIMONY TODAY.
AND I'M GONNA YIELD BACK MOST OF MY TIME TO ASK QUESTIONS.
I'M GERALD LEBO, PRESIDENT OF HOUSTON MEDIA SOURCE HERE IN HOUSTON.
I JUST WANT TO ASK EVERYBODY SO WE CAN GET THE ENERGY IN THE ROOM BETTER.
IF YOU BELIEVE IN FREE SPEECH, SAY, I LOVE HOUSTON.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT LOVE, WE ARE HERE AND WE'RE HERE.
I'VE GOTTEN THOUSANDS OF CALLS, I'VE GOTTEN ALL KINDS OF CELEBRITIES
[01:55:01]
THAT I WORK WITH THAT HAVE STATED THAT THEY WANTED TO COME AND CHAMPION THIS.I THINK THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE GOING ON THAT'S DEEPER THAN WHAT HAS HAPPENED.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO TALK DIRECTLY WITH THE MAYOR.
I'VE BEEN ASKING TO SPEAK WITH YOU SINCE YOU'VE, UH, BECOME MAYOR, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION.
SO WE CAN KNOW WHAT KIND OF LEADERSHIP YOU WANT US TO GO IN.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT AS A LEADER FOR ME TO KNOW FROM THE LEADER, HOW DO YOU WANT US TO MOTIVATE AND GALVANIZE THIS ORGANIZATION? THIS INSTITUTION HAS BEEN AROUND FOR 40 YEARS.
I WAS THERE AT ITS INCEPTION, BEEN INDIRECTLY IN AND OUT OF IT THROUGHOUT ITS, UH, UH, TENURE.
AND THEN, UH, WHEN I RETIRED FROM MEDIA ENTERTAINMENT AND ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT GOD HAS ALLOWED ME TO DO, MAYOR TURNER BROUGHT ME BACK IN TO SAY, GERALD, COME AND BRING THIS ORGANIZATION INTO THE BRIGHT LIGHT.
SO THE FIRST THING WAS SUSTAINABILITY.
SO WE HAD TO USE THAT TIME TO SUSTAIN THE LOCATION AND THE ENTITY.
NOW WE HAVE TO GALVANIZE AND GET TO THE COMMUNITY.
NOW WE'RE OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
DON'T STOP NOW WHILE WE'RE NUMBER TWO.
'CAUSE I LIKE BEING NUMBER ONE.
SO WAIT TILL WE'RE NUMBER ONE AND THEN DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO THEN.
BUT AT LEAST WE CAN SAY WE'RE NUMBER ONE.
YOU GUYS ARE SMART PEOPLE UP HERE.
YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY SMART PEOPLE OUT THERE.
THESE PEOPLE OUT HERE ARE SMART AS WELL.
I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR CONVERSATION.
OUR ENTITY HAS THE INFORMATION.
IF THIS THING GOES, ALL THAT HISTORY GOES.
ALL THAT HISTORY GOES, YOU GUYS.
AND WHAT BETTER INFORMATION, IT'S COMING FROM THE PEOPLE.
IT'S OWNED BY THE PEOPLE, IT'S OPERATED BY THE PEOPLE.
AND YOU ARE HERE FOR THE PEOPLE.
SO I ASK, LET'S HAVE THE CONVERSATION, LET'S GO DEEPER AND LET'S MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
WHATEVER YOU FO SAY, MAYOR, I'M GOING TO FOLLOW.
BUT LET'S SIT DOWN AND HAVE A DISCUSSION.
ANY QUESTIONS? I YIELD BACK THE REST OF MY TIME.
AND CERTAINLY AL UM, JUST WANT TO EXPRESS THE FACT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS AROUND HOUSTON MEDIA SOURCE AND I'M SURE YOU'RE WELL AWARE, UH, OR IF NOT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT YES.
WE DON'T NEED TO PUSH THAT UNDER THE RUG.
AND SOME OF THAT IS THINGS THAT WE'VE, YOU KNOW, INHERITED.
SO, SO WITH THAT, WE ARE CERTAINLY POSITIVES OF SUPPORT OF HOUSTON MEDIA.
AND BY THE WAY TOO, AND COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, EVAN SHABAZZ IN OUR ABSENCE WANT YOU TO KNOW SHE 100% SUPPORT, UH, THE EFFORTS.
AND UH, OF COURSE I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH EAST END.
I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT PUBLIC PRIVATE DOLLARS, YOU KNOW, I'VE OFTEN SAID, I DID A SYMPOSIUM A YEAR AGO AND I TALKED ABOUT IT.
WHETHER OTHERS AGREE OR NOT, ALL THE MONEY CAN'T COME FROM THE CITY, RIGHT? ALL THE MONEY CAN'T COME FROM THE COUNTY.
WE HAVE TO HELP TO FIND THOSE THAT ARE POSITIVELY IN SUPPORT OF AROUND THESE LARGE SHOE, BE POSITIVE AND SUPPORTIVE OF TRYING TO GET PUBLIC DOLLARS.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ON MANY OCCASIONS, RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY.
SO WE, WE HAVE TO FACE THE REALITY OF SOME OF THE THINGS WE HAVE.
THEY HELP TO CONVINCE OTHERS IN OUR EFFORTS.
AND I, I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT I'M IN AND DOING THAT 100%.
SO ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WE SAY WE KNOW, THEN LET'S SEE IF THEY WILL PUT UP ABSOLUTELY.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? YES, SIR.
SO ALL, ALL I ASK AND, AND IN LIMITED TIME, GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY YEAH.
TO DISCUSS WITH THE CITY WHAT IS NEEDED.
THEN WE CAN GO OUT THERE AND PLIGHT AND FIGHT FOR WHAT'S NEEDED ON OUR END TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY IS GETTING ITS FREE SPEECH.
DON'T JUST SEND ME A LETTER THREE DAYS AFTER I DID ONE OF YOUR BIGGEST EVENTS SAYING, OH, WE WE'RE NO LONGER FUNDING.
WE'RE NOT GONNA PUT OUT A RFP.
I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SPEAK WITH YOU TO SAY, WHAT DO YOU WANT IT TO GO? WHAT DO YOU WANT IT TO BE? SO WE CAN PUT THAT TOGETHER FOR YOU.
I'M HERE FOR THESE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND YOURSELF.
I'M THERE AT Y'ALL EVENTS AND RALLIES AND WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO THE PEOPLE WANT ALSO A PLACE FOR THEM TO HAVE FREE EXPRESSION.
AND, UM, THANK YOU FOR, UH, ALL THE MEDIA SOURCE, UM, FOR COMING IN AND SHARING, UM, WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND I JUST WANNA JUST POINT OUT, UM, THAT THE ADMINISTRATION IN, IN FACT, I JUST HAD A CONVERSATION WITH, UM,
[02:00:01]
OUR DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, QUINN DW, UM, MET WITH HER, UM, LAST WEEK.AND ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS, THE CONVERSATION WAS ABOUT WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF TALENT YES.
IN, IN HOUSTON, FILM DIRECTORS, PRODUCERS, ET CETERA, AND PULLING THOSE FOLKS TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN HAVE CONVERSATIONS AND UNDERSTAND, COME UP WITH A STRATEGY ON HOW WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT HOUSTON IS THE PLACE FOR TELEVISION AND FILM AND FOR ENTERTAINMENT.
BECAUSE I MEAN, WE'RE VERY DIVE DIVERSE AND IT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
IN FACT, KENDRICK SAMPSON, UM, WORKING CLOSELY WITH HIM.
UM, ALEX STAPLETON, WHO JUST DID EXACTLY THE, UM, PUFFY DOCUMENTARY.
AND SO, UM, WE'RE GONNA BE CONVENING A, THE CONVERSATION IS CONVENING A, UM, ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO PULLING FOLKS TOGETHER AND START LIKE MAPPING OUT, YOU KNOW, HOW WE BRINGING IN THOSE RESOURCES TO KEEP THOSE PROJECTS GOING.
AND THEN ALSO JUST, UM, UM, THE PAST SESSION, UM, WE WENT TO AUSTIN AND ADVOCATED FOR THE TAX INCENTIVES ON FAMILY.
RIGHT? SO HOUSTON IS TALKING ABOUT IT.
YOU PROBABLY DON'T HEAR THE CONVERSATIONS, BUT THE CONVERSATIONS ARE HAPPENING BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT SOMETHING IS COMING, THE TABLE IS COMING SO THAT WE CAN PULL THOSE BRILLIANT MINDS TOGETHER.
BUT THEN IF, BUT IF WE'RE NOT THERE, THEN IT'LL COME OVER US.
RIGHT? SO THE THING THAT MAKES PART OF THAT FIGHT, FIGHT AND THE FIGHT, UH, THAT TO TRY TO GET THE TARIFFS HERE, THE INCENTIVES HERE, I CAN PROMISE YOU I'VE PUT MORE MONEY BRINGING ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS HERE.
OUR JLO MODELING TALENT AGENCY HAS BROUGHT MORE CELEBRITIES AND STARS AND TRAINED MORE AROUND THE WORLD THAN MOST PEOPLE.
THAT'S THE ONLY ARTIST DEVELOPMENT FIRM IN THE STATE.
SO WE'VE TRAINED MANY GREAT, GREAT PEOPLE.
RIGHT? AND YOUR MOTHER WAS A PART OF THAT WITH ME AS WELL.
AND THAT'S WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR US NOT TO PULL THE PUBLIC SIDE OF IT SO THAT IT CAN CONTINUE TO HAPPEN.
IT'S A LOT OF GREAT TALENT HERE, LA AND NEW YORK.
THEY WISH THEY HAD WHAT WE HAVE HERE MM-HMM
AND NOW WE CAN GALVANIZE THAT.
I JUST NEEDED LEADERSHIP TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, THIS IS WHERE WE ARE NOW.
FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS WE'VE BEEN IN AN OPTIONAL YEAR OF CONTRACT.
SO I CAN'T GET WITH THE MAJOR DISTRIBUTORS AND SAY THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
'CAUSE WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE WHAT THAT AGREEMENT WILL BE NEXT YEAR.
SO WE CAN CREATE WITH THE BIG KNIT DISTRIBUTORS TO GET HUGE FUNDING AND TO DO LARGER THINGS IN HOUSTON.
THEY'VE BEEN WANTING TO COME TO HOUSTON AND IN THE 1994, I WAS A PART OF THE INITIATIVE TO BRING UNIVERSAL PICTURES HERE.
SO I HAVE ONE, I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
SO THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
SO WHERE DID YOU GUYS LEARN ABOUT YOU WERE GONNA BE GETTING SHUT DOWN.
I'M JUST CURIOUS WHEN YOU SAY THAT AGAIN, IT DIDN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT THAT YOU GUYS ARE GETTING SHUT DOWN.
WHEN DID YOU LEARN ABOUT, FIRST OF ALL, LEMME RESTATE THAT YOU GUYS WE'RE NOT GETTING SHUT DOWN.
THE ORGANIZATION STANDS ON ITS OWN.
THE ORGANIZATION STANDS ON ITS OWN.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS THE, THE, UH, FINANCIAL PART OF IT THAT WE GET THE RESTRICTED FROM, FROM THE CITY THROUGH THE CABLE NETWORK, A FRANCHISE FEE.
WE ARE NO LONGER GETTING THAT TO OUR UNDERSTANDING.
SO WE JUST WANNA WIND DOWN SO WE CAN GALVANIZE THAT.
SO WORK WITH US MAYOR AND WE'LL MAKE IT HAPPEN.
WE WANNA MAKE EVERYBODY PROUD AND HAPPY AND LOVE HOUSTON.
THANK DANA JONES TO BE FOLLOWED BY KEVIN STRICKLAND.
UM, MAYOR, DON'T, UM, HELLO MAYOR, DON'T LEAVE.
I, MY NAME IS DANA JONES AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT EIGHT.
I'M WHERE, UH, MY, UH, COUNCILMAN IS, AS YOU KNOW.
UH, COUNCILMAN CASTILLO, FIRST OF ALL, I'D COME BEFORE COUNCIL AND I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY IN THE HORSESHOE FOR GETTING ME OUT OF A DANGEROUS BUILDING.
I KEEP, I KEPT COMING TELLING YOU ABOUT IT AND YOU EVENTUALLY DID SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
NOW I'M JUST BACK LETTING YOU KNOW THAT I HAVE THE MONEY.
WE HAVE THE MONEY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO GET THE DRAINAGE DONE, BUT WE NEED FOR THE COUNTY TO COME IN AND DO OUR, UM, TO DO THE BIO.
I JUST WANNA, AGAIN, THANK THE HORSESHOE FOR GETTING ME OUT OF A DANGEROUS BUILDING.
NOW I'M LEARNING HOW TO LIVE, HOW TO LAUGH, HOW TO LOOK AROUND.
I'M LEARNING HOW TO SMELL THE COFFEE AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU.
MR. MAYOR, I'M LOOKING FOR YOU TO COME.
THEY PUSHED OUR PROJECT BACK IN 2028.
WE DON'T WANNA PUSH BACK AGAIN.
THANK YOU FOR GETTING ME OUT OF THAT DANGEROUS BUILDING.
NEXT KEVIN STRICKLAND TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOSEPH OMARE.
[02:05:02]
GOOD MORNING.UM, CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEW DISTRICT C COUNCIL MEMBER JOE PENZA.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON THE ISSUES IN DISTRICT C.
UM, MR. MAYOR, I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO APPROVE THE LOWER WESTHEIMER BANNER DISTRICT.
WHICH COUNCIL MEMBER CAME AND FUNDED THE APPLICATIONS ON YOUR DESK.
MAYOR AND EAST PARKER ENCOURAGED YOU TO APPROVE IT.
DURING YOUR TIME IN THE SENATE, YOU STOOD UP REPEATEDLY FOR THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY OUR TRANS FAMILY, AGAINST THE ONSLAUGHT OF HATE FROM REPUBLICANS.
I HOPE Y'ALL UNDERSTAND WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE CONSTANTLY VILIFIED IN THIS STATE, TO HAVE OUR IDENTITY ERASED TO BE DEHUMANIZED.
SO HATERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO COME AFTER US.
I NEED YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR MURDERS, ESPECIALLY OF BLACK TRANS WOMEN.
THE LATEST PERSON FOUND FIRED GO AHEAD, WAS A TRANS WOMAN.
WHAT DOES ANY OF THIS HAVE TO DO WITH A BANNER DISTRICT? BECAUSE SHOWING OUR PUBLIC PRIDE MEANS WE BELONG.
MAYOR, THIS IS AN EASY WIN FOR YOU.
MANY TEXAS CITIES WILL PUT UP PRIDE BANNERS FOR PRIDE MONTH.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WILL BE PROTESTS AT THE LGBT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EVENT, BUT IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO TELL THE COMMUNITY THERE THAT YOU SEE US AND THEY'RE STANDING UP FOR US.
CAN WE MAKE THIS HAPPEN FOR PRIDE MONTH? I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE AT THE CHAMBER LUNCHEON WHERE I'LL BE MAKING AN ANNOUNCEMENT AND UH, I THINK YOU'LL BE PLEASED.
I MEAN, UH, COUNCIL AND PEN WE'RE ON TOP OF, IT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO TELL YOU.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE AN EXISTING DISTRICT THAT'S NEVER BEEN USED, SO WE'RE, UH, GONNA WORK WITH A COUNCIL MEMBER IN THE CHAMBER AND, UH, THERE'LL BE A, THERE'LL BE A BANNER DISTRICT.
I THINK THAT ANSWERED THE QUESTION.
THANK YOU, KEVIN, FOR BEING HERE.
UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND, AND FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH WHAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, UH, PUT FORWARD.
UH, JOE, I BROUGHT YOU A PRIDE FLAG, BUT I BIKED HERE AND I LEFT IT AT MY HOUSE, SO I WILL BRING ONE FOR YOU FOR YOUR, UH, NEW OFFICE.
APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT WHY IT'S IMPORTANT AND WHY IT'S NECESSARY DRIVING HOME THAT SENSE OF BELONGING, THE SAFE SPACE, THE FACT THAT VISIBILITY DOES IN FACT SAVE LIVES.
AND THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONTINUE TO REMEMBER ON TOP OF THE ATTACKS, ON TOP OF THE VILIFICATION, UH, AS TO WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT.
AND I'M ENCOURAGED TO HEAR THERE'S, UH, AN ANNOUNCEMENT COMING SOON THAT, UH, I THINK WE'LL ALL BE HAPPY WITH.
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT THEY CONTINUE TO BE THERE AND WE GOT A PLAN.
THIS IS VERY MEANINGFUL FOR THE COMMUNITY.
THANK, I'VE BEEN AT THIS LONGER THAN YOU
I'VE BEEN A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY LONGER THAN YOU.
I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG YOU BEEN, I'M OLDER THAN I LOOK, IS WHAT I'M SAYING.
WELL, I STARTED WITH RAY HILL AND ANISE AND CRAIG WASHINGTON AND I CAN GO ON AND ON, BUT ANYWAY, YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S NEITHER HERE NOR THERE.
AM OMAR, HOW YOU DOING TODAY? MAYOR? WONDER.
HOW YOU, UH, ONCE AGAIN, I, UH, PLEASE DON'T STEAL WEAR MY COMPANY NUMBER OR HOODIE, BREAST EYE, KNEE, EYE CONCEPT, ESPECIALLY RIGHT ON THE BUTT.
UH, I DON'T HAVE A DEAL ON 'EM YET, BUT, AND I DON'T WANT MY KID ACROSS TO SHOOT UP SHOOTING AND KILL YOU.
I PLAY WAR GAMES, BUT GANG BANGERS AND OGS, ANY PROFESSIONAL STREET, UH, ATHLETE WOULD TELL YOU THAT, THAT NUMBER ON THE HOODIE PRESS THE THIGH AND MEAT COLLECTION CONCEPT WORTH A LOT OF MONEY.
I'M A DESIGNER OF THE REGULAR JEANS CONCEPT AND, UH, AND A SCREENPLAY.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MUCH THEY REALLY WORTH.
AND IF YOU DON'T THINK IT'S WORTH THAT MUCH MONEY, MY, MY SCREENPLAY, THE VISION WORTH A LOT OF MONEY, JUST ANY HOLLYWOOD TALENT, AGE, HOLLYWOOD ON HOW MUCH THEY REALLY WORTH AND WHAT, WHAT KIND OF RETAIL SALES THEY CREATE IN THE POTENTIAL, THE MOVIE BOX
[02:10:01]
OFF POTENTIAL SALES THEY WOULD CREATED, GENERATED.LIKE I SAY, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW I'M THE REGULAR DISEASE DESIGN AND, UH, THOSE, THESE HAD A SHELF LIFE FOR 11 YEARS AND, AND MORE.
THEY HAVE GENERATED BY 500 TO $1 BILLION STORE SALES.
AND, UH, A PART OF MY LAWSUIT, $25 MILLION DEFAULT LAWSUIT VICTORY.
IS EXPIRED NECESSARY? UH, CAN I JUST GIVE IT JUST, YOU KNOW YEAH, GO AHEAD.
JOSEPH, I'LL TAKE BACK JUDGE JOSEPH DEBATE FOR YOU.
UH, THEY DON'T, THEY JUST NEED TO PAY ME FOR MY WORK AND THAT WELL, AND THAT WAY WE DON'T HAVE, I LIKE TO SPEAK, UH, THIS LIKE TERMINOLOGY TO YOU BECAUSE MY BROTHER, BIG BROTHER SISTER JUST NEEDS TO STOP HATING ON ME BECAUSE EITHER WILL I THINK HOUSTON PUBLIC BE, UH, TV CHANNEL FOR LOT OPPORTUNITIES.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE HOUSTON IN MEMPHIS CITY, SAME THING I'VE BEEN THROUGH UNDER MILITARY MARTIAL LAW.
THIS CRIMES A CASE SITUATION MAY OR NOT BE UNDER HOUSTON LAW ENFORCEMENT LAW ENFORCE AGENT JURISDICTION, BUT STOLEN EMAIL, STOLEN HOUSING BAR, STOLEN MOVIE SCRIPT THAT WAS STOLEN WHILE USING HOUSTON LIBRARY.
MY MOTHER, MS.
KIDNAPPED WAS ON THE JURISDICTION FBI, THE
CAN I SHOULD BE WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF EVERY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OF TEXAS, HARRIS COUNTY, THE STATE POLICE, INCLUDING EXTORTION, NOW, PARENTAL INVESTIGATION CASE.
ALL THESE COMMUNICATIONS, INCLUDING COPYRIGHT INTERSTATE RACKERS, SHOULD BE WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF HPD HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT OF HARRIS COUNTY COVER OFFICE, HARRIS COUNTY OFFICE, THE TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL STATE POLICE, A US ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFICE, AND ALONG WITH THE FBI US MARSHAL.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED WHEN LAW ENFORCEMENT OKAY, 30 SECONDS DROPPING.
BUT ALL THESE CRIMES THAT I SUFFER THE OLD BEFORE MILITARY MARCH, THESE PEOPLE ALWAYS BE IN PRISON, IN JAIL AND BE SERVING TIMES TO BE BEHIND BARS.
CAN ANYONE ELSE THAT SIGNED UP HADN'T BEEN CALLED? IF NOT, UH, LET'S MOVE TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
I THINK WE HAVE ONE MORE PERSON.
I JUST MOVED TO HOUSTON ABOUT A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
UM, AND I TOLD MYSELF THAT WHEN GOD GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY THAT I'M GONNA TELL THE TRUTH OF HOW GOOD HE HAS BEEN TO ME.
I AM EXAMPLE OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU TAKE A CHANCE ON A BOARD THAT'S NOT AFRAID TO FAIL.
I, FOR ONE CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT I KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO HAVE TO DO A LOT OF THE WORK THAT IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY FOR FREE IN ORDER TO GET AHEAD.
I MOVED TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON BECAUSE I SAW WHAT WAS TAKING PLACE IN ATLANTA.
I BELIEVE IN THE TALENT POOL THAT WE HAVE HERE IN HOUSTON, IN THE SPORTS COMMUNITY, AND WELL AS THE PUBLIC COMMUNITY IN REGARDS TO CREATING A SPACE THAT WILL ONE DAY, LIKE HOUSTON MEDIA SOURCE BEEN SAYING, FUND THE CITY OF HOUSTON IN MULTIPLE WAYS.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS THANK THE HOUSTON MEDIA SOURCE AND I WOULD LOVE TO THANK THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR GIVING SOMEONE LIKE ME AN OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE I DID NOT HAVE A VOICE BECAUSE THEY HAVE GIVEN ME A VOICE.
THEY NOW HAVE ALLOWED HBCUS LIKE FLORIDA A AND M UNIVERSITY, AND THE PEOPLE THAT DECIDED TO RESIDE HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE THEIR ESTABLISHMENT TO RAISE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THOSE THAT CANNOT FUND, UM, TO GO TO SCHOOL.
SO, LIKE I SAID, I WANT TO THANK THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE SO FAR WITH THE HOUSTON MEDIA SOURCE.
AND I WANT TO THANK ONCE AGAIN MEMBERS OF THE HOUSTON MEDIA SOURCE FOR ONCE AGAIN TAKING A CHANCE ON ME WHEN NOBODY ELSE WOULD BECAUSE YOU HAVE DONE.
SO I'M NOW A SPORTS JOURNALIST OR SPORTS RAM, AND I'M ONE OF THE MANY LEADERS AND PRODUCERS THAT HOPES TO DO GREAT THINGS LIKE FUND THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ESPECIALLY IN THE AREAS THAT NEED.
SO I THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME, AND I APPRECIATE THE LOVE THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN TO US SO FAR.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
SECRETARY.IF WE'LL PROCEED WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SINCE YOUR LIST WAS DISTRIBUTED, ALL ITEMS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY.
NEED A MOTION FOR ITEMS ONE AND THREE.
ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? ITEM CARRIES.
[02:15:01]
HERE WE, EXCEPT FOR ACCEPT WORK.THE ACCEPT WORK UNDER THE ACCEPT WORK CATEGORY.
ITEM FOUR HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION UNDER THE PROPERTY CATEGORY.
ITEM FIVE HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION UNDER PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF BIDS CATEGORY.
NEED A MOTION FOR ITEM SIX? YES.
THOSE POST MADE MOTION PASSES UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY ITEMS. 8, 9, 16, 19, 21, 24, AND 25 HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
AGAIN, THOSE NUMBERS ARE 8, 9, 16, 19, 21, 24, AND 25.
NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE? ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES.
[Consideration of Consent Agenda (Part 3 of 3)]
FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.NEED A MOTION FOR ITEM FOUR CAST? STATE A, MOVE SECOND.
COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS A AFTER MOTIONS MADE.
COUNCIL THOMAS, COUNCILMAN THOMAS.
THIS IS JUST TO ACCEPT WORK ITEM, BUT I JUST FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC, WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT THE $4.2 MILLION WAS A PART OF, UH, THE CONSENT DECREE.
THIS WORK HAS BEEN COMPLETED IN DISTRICT F.
UM, UM, I THINK THE FINAL IMPROVEMENT WAS $2 MILLION, THE FINAL, UH, CONTRACT AMOUNT.
AND SO THIS HAS, UH, BEEN A LONGSTANDING ISSUE.
WE HAVE GOTTEN THIS, UH, PROJECT COMPLETED, UM, RELATED TO THE E-P-A-T-C-E-Q AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
UM, SO JUST A HUGE RIGHT STEP, AND IT WAS MY COMMITMENT TO KEEP THESE TYPES OF PROJECTS IN FRONT OF US.
WE TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST NIGHT AT THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING, AND, UM, SO JUST HAPPY TO SHOUT OUT TO PUBLIC WORKS FOR GETTING THIS OUT AND GETTING THIS CONTRACTS TO THE STREET SO WE CAN GET THESE SERIOUS PROJECTS COMPLETED.
ITEM FIVE NEEDS A MOTION CAST.
ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES TO OPPOSED MOTION.
UM, HALLELUJAH AND AMEN FOR THE PASSAGE OF, UH, THIS ITEM TODAY.
THIS, UH, GIVES US THE GREEN LIGHT TO MOVE TO ACQUIRE THE OLD A LEAF LIBRARY FOR CONTINUED DRAINAGE.
THIS IS A PART OF OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT INVENTORY.
WE TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST NIGHT, AND, UH, TO CELEBRATE THE MOVEMENT OF DRAINAGE, MANY OF THE RESIDENTS LAST NIGHT WERE IN ALE WHEN THE LIBRARY WAS BUILT.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE A BRICK PARTY.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA, UM, RESERVE THE FIRST HUNDRED BRICKS OF THAT BUILDING.
FOR THOSE OF YOU IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THAT LIBRARY MEANT SO MUCH TO US.
AND, UM, NOW IT WILL GO, UH, RETURN BACK TO THE PUBLIC FOR PUBLIC USE, PROTECTING US IN DRAINAGE.
SO, THANK YOU TO PUBLIC WORKS AGAIN IN THE ADMINISTRATION FOR MOVING THIS ACROSS THE LINE.
NEXT ITEM EIGHT IS AN ORDINANCE.
UM, AND IF I COULD HAVE, UH, THE SON OF JOE I. RAMIREZ.
NO, THAT'S, I WAS READY TO GO.
WE DO THAT AFTER, AFTER EIGHT.
WE JUST NEED TO VOTE ON NUMBER EIGHT.
ITEM NINE, COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER ON EIGHT.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR SUPPORT.
WE ACTUALLY BROUGHT THIS TO THE ADMINISTRATION BACK IN MARCH OF 2024.
BROUGHT IT BEFORE THE RESILIENCE COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU TO LEGAL FOR THE CONSTANT.
WHERE'S IT AT? WHERE'S IT AT? FOR THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF AND, UH, I GUESS TWO YEARS NOW.
UM, BUT THIS IS A HUGE WIN FOR THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK AND THE URBAN FARMERS.
IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT A BIG COST TO THE CITY.
IN FACT, IT'S NO COST TO THE CITY.
IT'S JUST REALLY MAKING THEIR ABILITY TO PRODUCE FOOD, TO SUPPLY TO THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK, FRESH PRODUCE, I MIGHT ADD, AND THE COMMUNITIES.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND, UH, IF HOUSTON FOOD BANK IS WATCHING, FINALLY YOU HAVE IT.
ITEM EIGHT, UH, NUMBER NINE, ITEM NINE IS AN ORDINANCE.
UM, BEFORE WE VOTE, UM, COUNCILOR MARTINEZ AND SENATOR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE RECOGNIZED? I WILL.
I WILL YIELD SOME OF MY TIME TO YOU.
[02:20:01]
UH, I KNOW YOU HAVE A COMMUNITY INTEREST IN YEAH.ITEM BEFORE US, AND I WILL YIELD TO YOU AT THIS TIME.
THANK YOU MAYOR WHITMAR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND SPECIAL THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBER JOAQUIN MARTINEZ AND ALL OF YOU WHO ARE CASTING A VOTE, UH, FOR MR. JOE RAMIREZ.
UH, I KNEW HIM VERY, VERY WELL AND KNOW THE FAMILY AND CAN'T THANK HIS, UH, FAMILY AND ESPECIALLY GRANDDAUGHTER ENOUGH FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE.
UH, ALSO KNOW THAT, UH, SENATOR MARIO GALLEGOS IS LOOKING DOWN AND SMILING.
AND, UM, I AM JUST COMING FROM, UM, ADRIAN GARCIA.
COMMISSIONER GARCIA HAD A CEREMONY NAMING A BRIDGE AFTER DR.
AND SO TODAY DOING THIS, IT'S A GREAT DAY FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT TO THE COMMUNITY FOLKS THAT ARE HERE.
I KNOW THERE ARE, UH, SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE MAGNOLIA COMMUNITY, AMERICAN POST 4 72, AND JUST LULAC AND CONSTITUENTS HERE, GENERAL RICK NORIEGA, I THINK MAY ALSO BE HERE.
CAN'T THANK HIM ENOUGH FOR HIS HELP.
BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE REMEMBER HEROES LIKE, UH, MANY OF US CALL THEM CHACO, CHACO RAMIREZ, UH, FOR HIS BRAVERY, HIS RESILIENCE, AND HIS LOVE FOR HIS COUNTRY.
AND AFTER SO MANY THREE YEARS OF BEING CAPTIVE, AND THEN TO GO BACK AND ENLIST AGAIN, UH, I DON'T KNOW VERY MANY PEOPLE WHO WOULD DO THAT.
SO, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN.
AND I ALSO WANNA THANK THE OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO SIGNED ON TO OUR LETTER.
COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ.
AND YES, I, I, I AM EXCITED AND THAT'S WHY I WAS JUMP JUMPING TO, UH, TO SPEAK.
UH, BUT IF I COULD HAVE, UH, THE SON OF JOEY CHACO RAMIREZ STAND UP.
AND THIS IS, UH, BRI GENERAL, UH, BRI GENERAL, JOEL EID, UH, JOE RAMIREZ, JR.
UH, AND THEN HIS FAMILY, IF THEY CAN STAND UP AS WELL.
UM, MAYOR, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO YOU AND THE PLANET DEPARTMENT.
WHEN I HAD ASKED TO WORK TO EXPEDITE THIS, UM, INITIALLY, UH, I THINK FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC, UH, THE NAME DOLO HUERTA CAME UP.
UM, AND THEN QUICKLY WE FOUND THAT SHE DID NOT WANNA BE RENAMED AFTER, UH, ANYTHING THAT, UM, THAT WAS SET AT CHAVEZ.
AND THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, UH, WANNA LIFT THEM UP RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THEY DID A, A, A HECK OF A JOB MAKING SURE THAT THE PUBLIC COMMENT WAS BEING DONE.
UM, AND I WANT TO SHARE WITH MY COLLEAGUES THAT, UM, OVER 65% OF THE, THE COMMENTS CAME BACK FOR JOE E CHACO RAMIREZ.
UM, I WANT TO THANK THE COMMUNITY IN THAT SENSE FOR, UH, BEING ENGAGED, UH, FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT, COMING TO PUBLIC SESSION.
UH, I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES HEARD, UH, AT LEAST ONE OTHER NAME, WHICH WAS MARIA JIMENEZ, WHO, UH, QUITE FRANKLY, UM, KNOWING HER SON VERY WELL, CARLOS VIAL, WHO'S WITH THE IBW, UM, IS WORTHY AS WELL, OF A, UH, BEING NAMED, UH, FOR A STREET AND OR ANOTHER FACILITY.
UM, AND THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHERS.
I LITERALLY GOT ALMOST TWO DOZEN NAMES.
UH, ONE OF 'EM WAS A RECENT FALLEN HFD, UH, WHO GREW UP IN, IN MAGNOLIA PARK, EAST END, MARCELO, UH, WHO WAS A MILBY GRADUATE.
AND, AND I SHARE ALL THAT BECAUSE I, I REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE CAN TAKE ALL THIS IN AND, AND, UH, SPEAK TO, UH, NOW, UM, WHAT WE'RE, WHAT HAS, WHAT'S COME BEFORE US.
UM, I'VE ATTENDED COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
I'VE RECEIVED PHONE CALLS, TEXT MESSAGES ON, ON THIS.
AND, UH, UH, OVERWHELMINGLY IT IS JOEY CHACO, UH, RAMIREZ, THAT HAS BEEN, UH, PUT FOR, UH, BEFORE US.
UM, THE NAME FIRST CAME UP AT THE JOHNNY CERVANTES VETERANS GROUP, UH, THAT DARIO ANO, AND SOME OF Y'ALL AROUND HERE MIGHT KNOW WHO DARIO IS, UH, WHO LEADS THIS VETERANS GROUP.
AND IT ALLOWS ME TO SPEAK TO A LITTLE BIT OF MAGNOLIA PARK, WHICH OUR SENATOR WAS SPEAKING TO.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT MAGNOLIA PARK, IF YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT MAGNOLIA PARK, IT'S A RICH HISTORY OF, UH, MILITARY VETERANS.
UM, THE LADIES AUXILIARY, IF Y'ALL CAN STAND UP, AND ANYBODY THAT'S HERE FROM THE LADIES AUXILIARY AS WELL.
AND THIS PAST MEMORIAL DAY, UM, AS THE COMMUNITY GATHERED AT THE AMERICAN LEGION POST 4 72, UH, IT WAS JUST ANOTHER TESTAMENT ON AS TO WHY THIS STREET NAME CHANGES IMPORTANT TO THE MAGNOLIA PARK NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, SO I, I DEFINITELY WANNA LIFT UP THE FAMILY.
UM, AS SENATOR ALVARADO MENTIONED, THERE IS A LETTER THAT WAS SHARED WITH YOU ALL THAT, UH, HAS BEEN SIGNED BY SEVERAL ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT OVERLAP DISTRICT I, UH, IN THE MAGNOLIA PARK AREA.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, I AM EXCITED, UH, TO VOTE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE FOR THIS ITEM, UH, WHICH WE'LL RENAME CESAR CHAVEZ TO JO CHACO RAMIREZ.
[02:25:01]
AND I WOULD ASK FOR MY COLLEAGUES TO JOIN ME IN THAT VOTE AS WELL.UH, JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND THANK MY COLLEAGUE, UH, JOAQUIN MARTINEZ, COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ FOR, UH, TAKING THE LEAD IN THIS EFFORT.
UH, CERTAINLY 'CAUSE IT'S PERSONAL AND TO HIM AS A CITIZEN OF THAT COMMUNITY, AS FAMILIAR AS I AM.
BUT ALSO I'M PROUD TO PUT MY VOTE TO IT, UH, FOR SEVERAL REASONS.
'CAUSE I SERVED WITH MANY, YOU KNOW, HISPANIC LATINO BROTHERS.
AND SO THIS IS A GREAT HONOR TO A VETERAN WHO, UH, GAVE SO MUCH, UH, TO US.
AND, UH, IT, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO, UH, RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTION.
AND, UH, SO FOR SO MANY, AND IT'S NOT OFTEN THAT WE GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE THE RECOGNITION TO MANY VETERANS.
MANY OF THEM ARE ON OUR STREETS.
THEY'RE HOMELESS, THEY ARE, UH, TRYING TO SURVIVE, AND OTHERS.
SO I THINK THIS IS A, A, A WELL DESERVED HONOR TO, UH, IN MY OPINION, A GREAT MAN AND A GREAT SOLDIER.
BEFORE WE VOTE, I WOULD LIKE TO, I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MASTER SERGEANT RAMIREZ, WHO I HAD THE HONOR OF VISITING AND SPENDING TIME WITH, UH, CERTAINLY HIS FAMILY THROUGH MARIO GALLEGOS AND THE GALLEGOS FAMILY.
MARIO'S MOTHER WAS MASTER SERGEANT RAMIREZ'S, UH, SISTER.
SO IT WAS, IF YOU WENT TO THE GALLEGOS FAMILY, YOU WERE AT THE RAMIREZ FAMILY AS WELL.
UH, THE MASTER SERGEANT IS NOT ONLY A COMMUNITY HERO, HE'S A NATIONAL HERO.
AND THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE A, UH, SOMEONE THAT MADE SUCH A PERSONAL SACRIFICE FOR OUR NATION AND IS SO RESPECTED, HONORED THROUGHOUT THE EAST SIDE.
UM, I'M SORRY THAT WE EVEN HAD TO DEAL WITH THE NAMES CHANGE.
IT WAS UNFORTUNATE, UH, I THOUGHT, AND THERE WAS A STRONG CONSENSUS, IF Y'ALL WILL RECALL, THAT WE WOULD START THE PROCESS TO CHANGE IT TO DELORES, WHERE TO, TO HONOR THE VICTIM.
AND I'M RESPONSIBLE 'CAUSE WE WERE ON A FAST TRACK TO START ORDERING THE SIGNS.
IT'S AMAZING HOW YOUR CRITICS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WHAT YOU THINK AT THE TIME IS OF SMART AND, UH, SUPPORTED BY THE COMMUNITY AND THE ACTUALLY MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL, IF NOT ALL THE COUNCIL.
SO, UM, THIS BRINGS CONCLUSION, BUT IT'S ALSO A NEW BEGINNING FOR RECOGNITION OF SOMEONE THAT WE ALL SWEAR TO NEVER FORGET.
UM, I'M SO EXCITED THAT HIS FAMILY AND, AND HIS SON JOE'S HERE, WHO I WORKED WITH WHEN HE WAS LEADING THE, THE CORE AT A AND M.
SO, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF THINGS TO BE GRATEFUL TODAY, UH, WITH THIS VOTE.
UH, WE, WE RESPECT THOSE THAT WERE ALSO CONSIDERED.
I THINK WE SHOULD CONTINUE THAT PROCESS TO RECOGNIZING EVERYONE THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION.
BUT TODAY IS THE DAY TO HONOR MASTER SERGEANT, UH, JOEY RAMIREZ FOR, FOR GOING THROUGH TORTURE AND FIGHTING FOR HIS COUNTRY, AND THEN COMING BACK HOME AND BEING SUCH A RESPECTED HERO.
SO WITH THAT MR. SECRETARY FIELD, CALL A ROW.
COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER? YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTEX TATUM? YES.
ASK THIS, PLEASE JOIN ME IN STANDING TO HONOR OUR HERO.
[02:30:01]
ORDINANCE.JUST WANTED TO SPEAK SECOND ON ITEM 16.
UM, I DON'T THINK EVERYBODY'S AWARE, BUT KINGWOOD DOES NOT HAVE A FIRE STATION THAT WAS BUILT BY THE CITY.
UH, WHEN KINGWOOD AND WAS ANNEXED DECADES AGO.
THE CITY TOOK OVER THE VOLUNTEER FIRE STATIONS THAT THEY HAD.
AND ALTHOUGH THOSE VOLUNTEER STATIONS WORK, OBVIOUSLY THEY WEREN'T MEANT TO ACTUALLY HOUSE PEOPLE.
AND WHEN WE WENT AND LOOKED AT, UH, THE KINGWOOD STATION HERE A COUPLE YEARS AGO IN MAY, IT WAS JUST DEPLORABLE THE LIVING CONDITIONS.
AND OBVIOUSLY THIS IS ONE MORE STEP IN A LONG JOURNEY OF ACTUALLY GETTING SOMETHING DONE WITH IT.
I HAD NOT BEEN IN OFFICE, BUT A COUPLE OF MONTHS DURING THE KINGWOOD FLOOD, AND I SAW THE CONDITIONS THAT HOUSTON FIREFIGHTERS WERE WORKING IN AND STAYING OVERNIGHT FULL OF MOLD HOLES IN THE CEILINGS HOLE IN THE FLOOR, COVERED WITH PLYWOOD.
AND THERE WAS A STRONG COMMITMENT MADE THEN THAT WE CAN DO BETTER AND, UH, SHOW THE RESPECT AND APPRECIATION FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS.
THEY'D PUT THEIR LIFE ON A LINE DURING THE KINGWOOD FLOOD.
I WATCHED THEM SAVE PEOPLE'S LIVES, THEN THEY GO BACK TO THEIR RESIDENCE AND, UH, IT'S DEPLORABLE.
BUT THIS, THIS IS A NEW, NEW CHAPTER, BUT THE REALLY NICE THING ABOUT THIS IS WITH COMBINING THE STATIONS, IT ACTUALLY TAKES CARE OF TWO OF THEM.
I MENTIONED THAT IN THE AGENDA SETTING.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
ALSO, YOU WERE RIGHT THERE WITH ME.
WELL, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, AS A RESIDENT OF KINGWOOD, THANK YOU FOR YOUR FOCUS ON OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE DO HAVE THREE VOLUNTEER FIRE STATIONS, BUT THIS TAKES CARE OF TWO AND IS A HUGE STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR THE SUPPORT THAT OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS, IT'S A, A BLESSING.
I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT FINISHED.
ITEM 20, ITEM 24 IS AN ORDINANCE.
TAG COUNCIL MEMBER TAG POLLARD TAGS.
WELL DONE BY POLLARD AND RAMIREZ.
HE WANTS, WE NEED TO, OH, I'M SORRY.
UH, WELL, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD SAID NO.
[NON-CONSENT MISCELLANEOUS]
ITEM 28 IS A MOTION TO RECEIVE NOMINATIONS FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF LAKE HOUSTON DREDGING DISTRICT POSITION ONE NOMINATION.I MOVED TO NOMINATE KATHLEEN JORDAN TO POSITION NUMBER ONE ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
UH, KATHLEEN'S HERE TODAY, UH, AGAIN, AND, UH, WAS ALSO, UH, NOMINATED BY THE REPRESENTATIVE THAT PASSED THE DREDGING BILL CHARLES CUNNINGHAM.
SO IF YOU GOT ANY QUESTIONS, SHE'S HERE.
AND, UH, ABLE TO SPEAK TO YOU VERY WELL.
ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? HEARING NONE.
IS THERE A MOTION TO CLOSE NOMINATIONS TAYLOR, MOVE TO CLOSE THE NOMINATION.
AND THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
UH, MEMBERS, I'M GONNA ASK THE MAYOR PRO TEM TO PRESIDE IF I GO BE WITH THE RAMIREZ FAMILY.
[MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS]
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.I WANT TO START BY INVITING DISTRICT H RESIDENTS TO THE FIRST OF TWO DISTRICT H SHRED DAYS.
[02:35:01]
SATURDAY FROM 9:00 AM TO NOON AT THE DENVER HARBOR MULTI-SERVICE CENTER.THIS IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A A RP TEXAS AND FOLKS ARE ENCOURAGED TO BRING UP TO THREE BANKER BOXES, OR, YOU KNOW, BAGS OF ITEMS TO BE SHREDDED.
UM, THIS WILL HELP PROTECT RESIDENTS FROM FRAUD AND GET, UH, SENSITIVE INFORMATION DISPOSED OF APPROPRIATELY.
AND I WANNA THANK A A RP FOR THE PARTNERSHIP ON THIS NEXT WEEK, JUNE THE FOURTH, AS PART OF THE RESILIENT H INITIATIVE.
THE NEXT PHASE OF THAT WILL BE THE CAVALCADE COOL CORRIDOR PILOT.
WE WILL BE HOSTING A COMMUNITY MEETING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH T 21 AND THE GREATER NORTHSIDE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT FROM SIX TO 8:00 PM AT THE MD ANDERSON YMCA ON CAVALCADE.
THIS WILL REVIEW COMMUNITY INPUT AND FEEDBACK AROUND ENHANCEMENTS TO THAT CORRIDOR FROM LITTLE WHITE OAK BAYOU TO HUNTING BAYOU, UH, THAT WILL BRING MORE SHADE AND AMENITIES TO THE AREA.
THIS IS PART OF THE RESILIENT H INITIATIVE, WHICH IS DESIGNED TO COMBAT EXTREME HEAT IN THE DISTRICT.
AND I WANNA INVITE THE COMMUNITY TO COME AND PARTICIPATE IN THAT MEETING.
LAST YEAR, DURING JUNE, I PARTNERED WITH BARK TO SPONSOR ALL ADOPTIONS, SPAY NEUTER SERVICES, MICROCHIPS AND VACCINES.
I WILL BE DOING THAT AGAIN THIS COMING JUNE.
UM, WE SAW GREAT SUCCESS FROM THAT PARTNERSHIP LAST YEAR.
475 ADOPTIONS WERE FACILITATED.
AND, UH, A NUMBER OF WELLNESS VISITS AS WELL.
THIS IS IN PART TO ONE, ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO CONSIDER BARK FOR ADOPTIONS AND ALSO BRING THEIR PETS IN FOR CHECKUPS, FOR MICROCHIPS VACCINES.
UM, THOSE WELLNESS APPOINTMENTS ARE SO IMPORTANT AND ARE A PART OF BEING RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERS.
SO, UM, THAT WILL BE HAPPENING ALL MONTH OF JUNE.
UM, AND I WANT TO, UH, ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
AND ALSO THANK BARK FOR THE PARTNERSHIP.
AND THEN FINALLY, UH, WELCOME TO COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER PANZA.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING WITH YOU, UM, IN THE MONTHS AHEAD.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.
THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TIM, I'D LIKE TO, UM, THANK THE EMANCIPATION PARK CONSERVANCY, UH, AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT FOR HOSTING THE JUNETEENTH PRESS CONFERENCE LAST WEEK.
UH, IT WAS MY PLEASURE TO JOIN OUR MAYOR AND GIVE REMARKS ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF JUNETEENTH AND OUR CITY'S CELEBRATION OF THIS HOLIDAY.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE EVENTS TITLE SPONSORS, HEB, THE KINDER FOUNDATION, AND KTSU 90.9 FM FOR MAKING THIS YEAR'S CELEBRATION POSSIBLE, AS WELL AS THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF SPECIAL EVENTS.
THE JUNETEENTH FESTIVITIES BEGAN AT 1:00 PM ON FRIDAY, JUNE 19TH, AT THE EMANCIPATION PARK WITH A, WITH AN INAUGURAL DOMINO TOURNAMENT, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, HOSTED BY TERRELL OWENS.
UH, YES, TO WAS AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE AND SURPRISED MANY OF US WHEN HE MENTIONED HOW HE'S BIG IN PLAYING DOMINOES.
SO THERE'S GOING TO BE A DO DOMINO TOURNAMENT.
WERE BEING, UH, AT 1:00 PM ON THAT, ON THAT ACTUAL DATE.
AND THEN AT 4:00 PM THERE WILL BE AN INAUGURAL CONCERT HEADLINED BY HOUSTON'S OWN, UH, SCARFACE, ROBERT GLASPER, BRIAN COURTNEY WILSON, THAT WILL ALSO BE KID ZONES, FOOD VENDORS.
AND, UH, WE HOPE TO SEE EVERYBODY THERE, UH, AT THE EMANCIPATION PARK FRIDAY, JUNE 19TH FOR A CELEBRATION OF FREEDOM, CULTURE AND LEGACY.
UH, THIS EVENT IS FREE AND YOU CAN RESERVE YOUR TICKET ON EVENT, RIGHT? SO WE HOPE THAT ALL OF HOUSTON'S WILL BE A PART OF THIS, OF THE MANY ACTIVITIES THAT'S COMING TO OUR CITIES.
MAYOR PROAM, UH, HPD EAST SIDE DIVISION ALONGSIDE THE AMERICAN LEGION AUXILIARY UNIT 4 72 IN THE SUNS OF AMERICAN LEGION SQUADRON 4 72.
INVITE THE RESIDENTS TO SPRING FORWARD TO SUMMER COMMUNITY EVENT AT MEADOW CREEK COMMUNITY CENTER THIS FRIDAY, MAY 29TH FROM FOUR 30 TO SEVEN 30.
UH, ATTENDEES CAN ENJOY LIVE MUSIC, FOOD, COMMUNITY, VENDORS AND RESOURCES, AND CONNECT WITH, UH, HPD WHILE CELEBRATING THE START OF SUMMER WITH NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
LOOK FORWARD TO AN AFTERNOON OF FUN, ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY SPIRIT.
ALSO, I WANTED TO INVITE EVERYONE TO OUR EVENT.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE OUT IN KINGWOOD ON THURSDAY, JUNE 4TH FROM FIVE TO SIX 30.
IT'S AN OPEN HOUSE WITH THE UTILITIES,
[02:40:01]
UH, CENTER POINT'S GONNA BE OUT THERE.AND I KNOW A LOT OF MY CONSTITUENTS UP IN THAT AREA WANNA SPEAK TO CENTER POINT, BUT THEY'LL HAVE THEM.
AND ALONG WITH THE, UH, THE CABLE AND PHONE COMPANIES OUT THERE.
SO EVERYBODY COME ON OUT THERE, THERE, THURSDAY, JUNE 4TH, AND, UH, SPEAK TO 'EM.
UH, FOR THOSE WHO DID NOT FOLLOW THE HOUSING AND AFFORDABILITY COMMITTEE ON YESTERDAY, UM, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT REPORTED OUT, UM, UH, UPDATES RELATED TO A SERIES OF DISASTER RECOVERY PROJECTS.
GOOD NEWS, OUR DR 21 $50 MILLION ALLOCATION IN RESPONSE TO WINTER STORM URI.
WE'VE RECEIVED OVER 1200 APPLICATIONS.
THAT APPLICATION PORTAL HAS CLOSED.
UH, WE WILL EXCEED OUR GOAL OF MEETING 120 TO 140 FAMILIES AROUND HOME REPAIR.
UM, BUT DON'T FRET BECAUSE WE HAVE THE DR 24 $50 MILLION OF RESPONSE TO DIRE AND BARREL, UM, COMING SOON.
UH, WE BRIEF THOSE GUIDELINES.
SO, UH, TO MY COLLEAGUES IN THEIR TOP STAFF THAT ARE WORKING WITH CONSTITUENTS AROUND HOME REPAIR, WILL HAVE ANOTHER ROUND OF FUNDING AVAILABLE.
SO I WANT TO JUST KEEP Y'ALL'S EYES, UM, ON THAT APPLICATION AND THEN SHOUT OUT TO THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT FOR AGGRESSIVELY GETTING THOSE APPLICATIONS OUT.
ON SATURDAY, I WILL JOIN THE CLIMATE ACTION CAMPAIGN, PEOPLE'S HEARING AT THE DELUXE THEATER ON LYONS AVENUE, UH, SATURDAY, MAY 30TH.
UM, WE ARE HEARING DIRECTLY FROM HOUSTONIANS WHO'VE LIVED THROUGH EXTREME WEATHER, WHICH MEANS ALL OF US.
AND THEY'RE COMING BEFORE, UM, A, A, A PANEL OF PUBLIC, UH, SERVANTS TO DISCUSS, UH, SOME OF THEIR ISSUES AROUND THAT.
EVERYTHING FROM, UM, UM, HOME REPAIR INSURANCE COSTS, YOU NAME IT, THE ENVIRONMENTAL BURDEN.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, TO LISTENING TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
AND I, I BELIEVE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO, TO LIVE STREAM THAT.
AND IF NOT, JOIN US IN PERSON AT THE DELUXE THEATER AND DISTRICT B, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT AND JUST GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO PUBLIC WORKS.
I, I, I APPRECIATE THEM FOR MOVING EXPEDITIOUSLY, UM, IN THE ASHTON, UH, UH, ASHTON PARK, ASHFORD PARK SUBDIVISION TO ADDRESS THE ONGOING DRAINAGE ON WESTWICK.
UM, THE, THE, THE DRAINAGE, THE, THE FLOODING IS SO BAD.
THE WATER IS ALMOST TO YOUR KNEES UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE.
AND SO THEY ARE ALREADY, UH, UH, UH, THEY'VE HAD STAGED A PUMPING, UH, SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN CLEAR THE STREET.
BUT GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE HAVE A NOTICE TO, UH, PROCEED FOR A PROJECT TO CLEAR THE DRAINAGE.
UM, AND THAT MOVES THROUGH BEGINNING JUNE ONE.
SO WE'RE JUST GONNA SHARE THAT WITH THE RESIDENTS WHO'VE REACHED OUT TO OUR OFFICE VIA EMAIL.
WE'VE PROVIDED THIS IN THE NEWSLETTER, AND WE'LL SEND A REMINDER ON THIS FRIDAY.
ALSO, WE HAVE ANOTHER CONSTRUCTION PROJECT HAPPENING.
WE HAVE A MEAL AND A OVERLAY ON SENATE ROAD BETWEEN A LEAF CLOTHING AND BEL AIR.
THIS IS A $680,000 INVESTMENT.
THIS WAS A PART OF OUR MAJOR CHOICE SELECTION OF FISCAL YEAR 26.
IT'LL TAKE APPROXIMATELY 25 TO 30 DAYS FOR COMPLETION, DEPENDING ON WEATHER.
SO I JUST WANNA APPRECIATE US GETTING THAT OUT IN THE GATE.
BUT I, I DO WANT TO MAKE A, A NOTE AND ON THE RECORD, UM, THAT WE HAVE A SERIES OF SPEED CUSHION APPLICATIONS STILL IN THE QUEUE FROM FISCAL YEAR 24.
I HAVE FIVE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE IN FROM FISCAL YEAR 24.
I HAVE FOUR AT A TOTAL OF $467,000 THAT HAVE YET, UH, TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR, WE ALREADY HAVE TWO APPLICATIONS THAT, UM, ESTIMATE $297,000.
UM, I KNOW THAT PUBLIC WORKS IS WORKING ON EXPANDING THE CONTRACT TO ALLOW MORE CONTRACTORS TO GET TO THIS WORK, BUT THESE ARE, WE HAVE A BACKLOG OF A COUPLE OF FISCAL YEARS, AND THE COST IS ALMOST DOUBLED FOR LESS IMPACT.
AND SO WE'RE UNABLE TO, UH, SPREAD THOSE FUNDS THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT LENGTH AT THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD LAST NIGHT, SO I JUST WANTED TO FLAG THAT FOR PUBLIC WORKS AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT MORE IN DETAIL, UH, WITH, UM, DURING OUR QUARTERLY BRIEFING.
I ALSO WANNA ANNOUNCE SUMMER SAFETY IS BACK OUR FIFTH ANNUAL SUMMER SAFETY IS BACK ON THE WEST SIDE.
AND ONE OF OUR, UH, SIGNATURE ACTIVATIONS IS OUR FOURTH ANNUAL SWIM SAFETY EVENT.
WE'RE HOSTING THAT ON SATURDAY, JUNE 13TH, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOUSTON PARKS DEPARTMENT, OUTDOOR AFRO COACH, CPR, HOUSTON SWIM WAVES, AND A WHOLE LOT MORE.
UM, MY PHENOMENAL TEAM IS WORKING ON STANDING THIS UP.
AND BECAUSE OF THE HIGH DEMAND, UH, WE'VE ADDED AN ADDITIONAL, UH, COHORT.
SO WE'LL HAVE CAPACITY FOR 42, UH, SWIM INSTRUCTION SLOTS FOR CHILDREN'S AGES FOUR TO 13.
AND FOR OUR PARENTS, WE ALWAYS HAVE CPR AVAILABLE WITH COACH, UH, CPR ON SITE.
UM, IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND WE KNOW THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, SWIMMING IS ALSO A, A, A TIME OF JOY IN THE SUMMERTIME, BUT WE KNOW IN THE, IN A, UH, IN A SECOND NOTICE, UH, SOMETHING CAN HAPPEN.
[02:45:01]
UH, SERIOUSLY.SO THE REGISTRATION LINK IS OUT, YOU'LL HEAR MORE A AROUND THAT.
UM, AND THEN ALSO I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE LASTLY, NOT LASTLY, UH, JUNE 6TH IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
AGAIN, WE'RE HOSTING FIRST KICK, UM, AS THE ENERGY OF FIFA COMES TO OUR ASCENDS TO OUR CITY, WE'LL BE ON THE WEST SIDE.
MORE DETAILS TO COME, UM, FROM MY OFFICE AROUND THAT LAST NIGHT.
CLEARLY I HAVE NO MAKEUP ON 'CAUSE I WAS UP WITH THE REST OF HARRIS COUNTY WATCHING ELECTION RESULTS.
AND SO I JUST WANNA SHOUT OUT, UM, ALL OF THE CANDIDATES FOR PUTTING YOUR NAME ON THE BALLOT.
IT'S A HARD JOB, BUT SOMEONE HAS TO DO IT.
DARLENE BRO, UM, ON THE WEST SIDE, UH, SHE, UH, CLINCH, UH, FOR HOUSE DISTRICT 1 49, UM, HISTORICALLY HELD BY REPRESENTATIVE HUBERT VO.
I WANNA THANK REPRESENTATIVE HUBERT VO FOR HIS SERVICE TO THE WEST SIDE, UM, AND REPRESENTING US IN THE STATE IN THE STATE'S CAPITOL.
AND CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR, UM, ALI ISD BOARD, TRUSTEE DR.
BRO, ON WHAT SHE'LL BE ABLE TO DO FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I ALSO WANNA CONGRATULATE CONGRESSMAN CHRISTIAN MEN.
UM, KNOWING THAT YOU WERE THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR CD 18 AND THE PEOPLE OF CD 18 AGREED.
AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, MY FOREVER CONGRESSMAN AL GREEN, UM, I'VE BEEN REDISTRICTED SO MANY TIMES, BUT MY AFFINITY FOR CONGRESSMAN AL GREEN REMAINS, UM, WHAT HE WAS ABLE TO DO DURING THE PANDEMIC AS A PART OF THE, UH, HOUSTON DELEGATION AND SECURING FUNDS AROUND CARES ARPA, UH, ALLOW US TO, UH, YOU KNOW, PAUSE, YOU KNOW, E EVICTIONS AND RENT RELIEF AND ALL OF THE THINGS ADVOCATING AS A RANKING MEMBER WITH FINANCIAL SERVICES, HIS WORK, RON HUD, AND THE FINANCIAL, UH, UH, THE BANKING SYSTEM DURING THE CRASH OF THE ECONOMY IN 2007 AND 2008.
SO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND AS CONGRESSMAN MENIFEE SAID THAT YOUR LEGACY WILL OUTLIVE ANY ELECTION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY.
UM, THAT CONCLUDES MY POP-OFF BY OFFICE.
PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO REACH OUT TO US AT DISTRICT F AT HOUSTON TX GOV.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, VICE MAYOR PRO TEMPE.
JUST A FINAL REMINDER THAT TOMORROW IS OUR COFFEE WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER AND COPS EVENT.
IT WILL BE AT 10:00 AM AT THE WHITE OAK CONFERENCE CENTER.
WE'LL HAVE OUR HPD NORTH DIVISION CAPTAIN THERE AND ALSO PUBLIC WORK.
SO IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THE PROJECTS GOING ON IN THE INWOOD AREA, NOW IS THE TIME TO COME AND ASK THOSE QUESTIONS OR REALLY ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANYTHING HAPPENING IN THE CITY.
WELL, I WAS GOING TO YIELD MY TIME TO COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN AND SHABAZZ, BUT Y'ALL BE SURE TO TELL HER NEXT WEEK.
NO, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UH, THANK YOU TO, I DIDN'T GET TO, TO TO MENTION LAST NIGHT, BUT THANK YOU TO, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM, UH, CASSICK TATUM AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN FOR HOSTING THE RECEPTION FOR, UH, ABBY LAST NIGHT.
THAT WAS GREAT TO NUMBER ONE, TO BE IN THE, UH, ISOL CENTER, BUT JUST TO, TO SEE THE TURNOUT AND JUST THE GATHERING OF PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE.
SO THANK Y'ALL FOR DOING THAT.
I REALLY WAS GLAD TO PARTICIPATE.
AND I'LL ROUND IT OUT WITH SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR DISTRICT K.
UM, THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS HOLDING THEIR PUBLIC HEARING ON THURSDAY, JUNE THE 11TH AT TWO 30 ON THE PLAT APPLICATION AT 20 26 0 6 3 1 POUND BERRY, SECTION TWO.
IT'S LOCATED AT 1538 HOLMES ROAD, UH, ALONG FANIN STREET BETWEEN HOLMES ROAD AND FANIN SPEEDWAY.
SO, UH, IF MEMBERS OF SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD OR RESIDENTS AROUND THERE HAVE ANY CONCERNS, YOU CAN REACH OUT TO OUR OFFICES.
UM, PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN 300 FEET OF THE PROPOSED PLAT HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED, UM, IN ACCORDANCE TO CHAPTER 42.
BUT IF THERE ARE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO REACH OUT TO US IN THE DISTRICT.
ALSO WANT TO AMPLIFY THAT THERE ARE IMPROVEMENTS, UH, COMING TO BEAH MAXI PARK.
THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD IS HOSTING A COMMUNITY POPUP ON FRIDAY, MAY THE 29TH FROM FOUR TO 6:00 PM AT THE ACTUAL PARK, WHICH IS LOCATED AT 26 25 MONTICELLO DRIVE.
SO RESIDENTS IN ALAMEDA PLAZA, LET'S BE A PART OF LES'S PLAY HOUSTON INITIATIVE.
UM, THERE WILL BE A PRESENTATION ABOUT THE LES PLAY HOUSTON INITIATIVE, UM, AND IT'LL BE LED BY THE HU BY THE PARKS BOARD.
UM, SO WE ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS IN ALAMEDA PLAZA TO JOIN US ON FRIDAY AT THIS COMMUNITY EVENT.
UM, COMING TO BEAH MAXIE PARK.
AND THEN ALSO WE WORKED VERY DILIGENTLY WITH THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO REVITALIZE OUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 40.
AND WE'RE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THEIR FIRST SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING WILL BE HELD ON MONDAY, JUNE THE EIGHTH AT 6:00 PM AT THE HIAM CLARK MULTI-SERVICE CENTER.
SO THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE RESIDENTS TO MEET THE NEW BOARD, UM, THE DELEGATES THAT HAVE BEEN ELECTED FOR THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 40, AND REALLY
[02:50:01]
TO HEAR THE VISION OF THAT SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOW RESIDENTS CAN COME TOGETHER AND, UM, JOIN IN WITH THE ENGAGEMENT THAT'S HAPPENING AROUND THAT HARM CLARK AREA.AND THEN A FUN EVENT THAT'S COMING UP IN DISTRICT A IS OUR PIZZA AND PARTNERSHIPS EVENT THAT'S GOING TO BE HELD AT ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, VENUES.
DROP OF THE CREATOR AT 1 0 9 2 9 CHIMNEY ROCK ROAD.
IT'S HAPPENING ON JUNE THE 11TH FROM SIX TO 8:00 PM IT'S OPEN TO ALL THE RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT A TO COME OUT AND CONNECT WITH THEIR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, CIVIC CLUB MEMBERS, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS.
UH, THERE'LL BE LOTS OF FREE FOOD AND ENJOYMENT AND, UM, OUR AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS, FEEL FREE TO DROP IN AND MEET SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND WE HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE.
UH, LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, WORKING WITH EVERYONE WHO PUT THEIR NAME ON THE BALLOT AND WON LAST NIGHT.
AND THEN A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO EVERYONE WHO WAS COURAGEOUS ENOUGH TO PUT THEIR NAME ON THE BALLOT BECAUSE IT DOES TAKE COURAGE.
UM, SO CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THE VICTORIOUS WINNERS FROM LAST NIGHT, AND Y'ALL CONTINUE TO BE KIND TO EACH OTHER.