[PRESENTATIONS]
[00:00:03]
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES VICE MAYOR PRO TEM PECK FOR A PROCLAMATION TO MEMORIAL ASSISTANCE MINISTRIES TO RECOGNIZE THAT NONPROFIT'S EFFORTS.
THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO, TIM, AND MAYOR.
UM, IT'S MY HONOR TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION TODAY TO MEMORIAL ASSISTANCE MINISTRY IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE ORGANIZATIONS AND DISTRICT A, WHEREAS FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS, MEMORIAL ASSISTANCE MINISTRIES HAS EMPOWERED INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES ACROSS GREATER HOUSTON BY PROVIDING THE RESOURCES, SKILLS, AND SUPPORT NEEDED TO ACHIEVE STABILITY AND LONG-TERM SUCCESS THROUGH EDUCATION, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT, AND COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.
AND WHEREAS ON MARCH 18TH, 2026, COMMUNITY LEADERS, PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS GATHERED TO CELEBRATE THE GRAND OPENING OF THE HAMILL EDUCATION WORKFORCE TRAINING CENTER, MARKING A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE IN MAM'S CONTINUED GROWTH AND SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND WHEREAS THE NEW 21,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY EXPANDS MAM'S SPRING BRANCH CAMPUS AND SERVES AS A HUB FOR CAREER READINESS, ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPUTER EDUCATION, SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION.
AND WHEREAS AS PART OF ITS GROWING OUR IMPACT TOGETHER INITIATIVE, A $22 MILLION CAMPAIGN DESIGNED TO MEET THE EVOLVING NEEDS OF THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY.
THIS EXPANSION WILL ENABLE MAM TO SERVE MORE THAN 21,000 INDIVIDUALS ANNUALLY AND INCREASES EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAMS BY 50%.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF HOUSTON CONGRATULATES MEMORIAL ASSISTANCE MINISTRIES ON THE EXPANSION OF ITS SERVICES AND RECOGNIZES THE ORGANIZATION'S ONGOING COMMITMENT TO HELPING THOUSANDS OF HARDWORKING HOUSTONIANS BUILD STRONGER AND MORE SECURE FUTURES.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER VICE MAYOR PROTE PECK FOR BRINGING THE MEMORIAL ASSISTANCE MINISTRIES TO OUR ATTENTION.
UH, IT'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT SO MANY GROUPS, NONPROFITS MADE TO HOUSTON'S GREATNESS.
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW FACILITY.
I'M CERTAIN IT'LL JUST ENHANCE YOUR DELIVERY OF SERVICES, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE AND YOUR GREAT TEAM, AND THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM JUNE 9TH, 2026 IS MA'AM DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THANK YOU MAYOR WITTMEYER, AND COUNCIL MEMBER PECK.
UM, MY NAME'S SONYA GTZ, MY HONOR TO BE ABLE TO SERVE AS THE PRESIDENT, CEO OF MA'AM.
UM, MY DAD AND MY GRANDPARENTS CAME TO HOUSTON OVER 80 YEARS AGO WITH A DREAM TO MAKE A BETTER FUTURE FOR THEIR FAMILY.
AND THEY FOUND THAT OPPORTUNITY HERE IN HOUSTON.
THEY OWNED SOME OF THE FIRST BUSINESSES AND THEY CERTAINLY FACED BARRIERS, BUT WHAT I'M SO PROUD ABOUT IS THEY, IN ADDITION TO BUILDING A GREAT FUTURE FOR THEIR FAMILY, LIVE THEIR LIVES IN SERVICE TO HELP OTHERS TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES JUST LIKE THEY FOUND IN OUR AMAZING CITY.
SO I'M PROUD TO BE A HOUSTONIAN.
I'M PROUD TO BE A PRODUCT OF HOUSTON, ISD OF RICE UNIVERSITY, AND I'M PROUD THAT TODAY IN A CITY THAT CONTINUES TO GROW, MAM GETS TO SERVE OVER 20,000 PEOPLE AND THEIR PATHWAYS TO LIFELONG STABILITY.
UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE CITY, SO DIVERSE WITH SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A CITY WITH THE LARGEST POVERTY RATE OF ANY MAJOR CITY IN THE US.
AND SO THERE'S SO MUCH WORK FOR US TO BE DONE.
IT HAS BEEN OUR HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO WORK TOGETHER WITH COUNCIL MEMBER PECK AND HER TEAM.
AND WE'RE THANKFUL FOR ALL OF YOU IN THE SERVICE THAT YOU DO TO ENSURE THAT EVERY SINGLE FAMILY, JUST LIKE MINE NOW FOR TWO AND HOPEFULLY ON OUR THIRD GENERATION, CONTINUE TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES, UM, TO LIVE STABLE, HEALTHY LIVES AND TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE VIBRANCY OF OUR AMAZING CITY.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS INCREDIBLE HONOR.
UM, WE AND MY TEAM THAT'S HERE TODAY, UM, LOVE GETTING TO WORK WITH OUR AMAZING COMMUNITY AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE RECOGNITION OF THE WORK THAT WE DO EVERY SINGLE DAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN, THANK YOU.
I CONTINUE TO BE IMPRESSED WITH MA'AM EVERY SINGLE DAY.
WE TRULY VALUE ALL THAT YOU BRING TO OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM, TO YOU AND YOUR ENTIRE TEAM.
[00:05:24]
YOU READY? GOOD LUCK.THE CHAIR NOW RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS FOR A PROCLAMATION TO THE WOMEN'S HOSPITAL OF TEXAS IN HONOR OF ITS 50 YEARS OF SERVICE.
SO I HAVE THE HONOR OF READING THE, UH, PRESENTING THE PROCLAMATION TO THE WOMAN'S HOSPITAL OF TEXAS, WHEREAS THE WOMAN'S HOSPITAL OF TEXAS WAS FOUNDED IN 1976 BY A GROUP OF, OF LOCAL PHYSICIANS WHO RECOGNIZE THE NEED FOR A HOSPITAL EXCLUSIVELY DEVOTED TO THE CARE OF WOMEN AND NEWBORNS, AND WHO INTENTIONALLY CHOSE THE NAME WOMEN'S RATHER THAN WOMEN'S TO HONOR EACH PATIENT AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND TO REFLECT THE PERSONALIZED PATIENT-CENTERED APPROACH TO CARE.
WHEREAS SINCE ITS OPENING, THE WOMAN'S HOSPITAL HAS DELIVERED MORE THAN 300,000 BABIES AND DELIVERS MORE BABIES EACH MONTH THAN ANY OTHER HOSPITAL IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
WHEREAS THE HOSPITAL IS A HOME TO A LEVEL FOUR NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT, WHICH PROVIDES THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF CARE FOR PREMATURE AND CRITICALLY ILL NEWBORNS, AND IS DESIGNED AS A LEVEL FOUR MATERNAL PROGRAM FOR OBSTETRICS AND HIGH RISK PREGNANCY CARE.
WHEREAS ON THE OCCASION OF THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WOMEN'S HOSPITAL, TEXAS, THE CITY OF HOUSTON PROUDLY JOINS A COMMUNITY IN CELEBRATING THE PIONEERING HOUSTON AND TEXAS INSTITUTION AND RECOGNIZES DEDICATED STAFF AND LEADERSHIP FOR THEIR EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTIONS AND LASTING IMPACT ON THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF HOUSTON WOMEN'S AND FAMILIES OVER THE PAST FIVE DECADES AND COUNTING.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER SALINA.
AND WHAT A EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY TO TELL US ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE WOMAN'S HOSPITAL.
AND I JUST LEARNED FOR MYSELF,
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR 50TH YEAR AND WE ALL KNOW THE BEST YEARS ARE YET TO COME, SO CONGRATULATIONS.
AND THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 20TH, 2026, IS A WOMAN'S HOSPITAL OF TEXAS DAY ACROSS HOUSTON, TEXAS.
DID YOU HAVE COMMENTS THAT YOU, WOULD Y'ALL LIKE TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS? OH, I DO.
SHE KNOWS I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY.
MAYOR WHITMEYER, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS, THANK YOU, UH, TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR THIS INCREDIBLE HONOR.
I HAVE THE HONOR OF SERVING IN MY DREAM JOB AS THE CEO OF THIS AMAZING HOSPITAL.
AS YOU HEARD, FOR 50 YEARS, THE WOMAN'S HOSPITAL OF TEXAS HAS HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING HOUSTON'S WOMEN, BABIES AND FAMILIES DURING SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT MOMENTS IN THEIR LIVES.
WHAT BEGAN IN 1976 WITH THE VISION OF 29 PHYSICIANS BECAME HOUSTON'S FIRST HOSPITAL AND THE STATE OF TEXAS DEDICATED EXCLUSIVELY TO WOMEN AND NEWBORNS.
AND OVER THE DECADE, DECADES, WE'VE BEEN PROUD TO HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE OF WOMEN'S HEALTHCARE IN THIS FINE CITY.
OUR STORY IS DEEPLY CONNECTED TO HOUSTON'S STORY.
AS HOUSTON HAS GROWN AND DIVERSIFIED AND BECOME A GLOBAL LEADER IN HEALTHCARE, THE WOMAN'S HOSPITAL OF TEXAS HAS GROWN ALONGSIDE IT.
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT, THE PARTNERSHIP, AND THE TRUST WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
SO ON BEHALF OF 10 NORA BOYKINS, MY BOARD CHAIR, MY BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND SENIOR LEADERS WHO ARE WITH ME HERE TODAY, OUR ENTIRE MEDICAL STAFF, COLLEAGUES AND THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES THAT WE HAVE SERVED.
THANK YOU FOR THIS PROCLAMATION AND FOR RECOGNIZING THIS IMPORTANT MILESTONE IN OUR HISTORY.
WE ARE HONORED TO BE PART OF HOUSTON'S LEGACY AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO SERVE THIS REMARKABLE CITY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS IN QUEUE FOR COMMENTS.
WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN.
THANK YOU CHAIR, AND THANKS FOR COMING.
ONE OF THOSE 300,000 BABIES WAS MINE.
I HAD MY FOURTH BABY AT WOMEN'S HOSPITAL, AND I THINK MY DOCTOR'S ONE OF, HI, I THINK IT'S DAD, ONE OF THOSE JACOBS'S, UM, YEAH, WAS ONE OF THE FOUNDING MEMBERS, BUT OKAY.
YEAH, HE WAS ONE OF THE FOUNDERS.
UM, WONDERFUL HOSPITAL, GREAT TO HAVE YOU GUYS IN TOWN.
HAPPY 50TH AND GOOD TO SEE YOU GENOA.
[00:10:01]
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR PROTI AND TO YOU, GINA, AND TO, UM, DENO.
UH, UNLIKE COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, I DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, BABIES THAT CAME THROUGH THERE, BUT I GOT A BUNCH OF GODCHILDREN, UH, THAT CAME THROUGH THERE AND MANY OF MY PARISHIONERS IN OUR CHURCHES.
SO I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE A TREMENDOUS HISTORY OF, OF THE WORK THAT YOU DO IN TERMS OF THE WOMAN HOSPITAL.
UM, MAYOR
CONGRATULATIONS TO Y'ALL AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO FOR WOMEN, FOR CHILDREN.
UM, I HAD OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT, UM, THE HOSPITAL AND YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING.
IT WAS, I MEAN, I LEARNED A WHOLE LOT, UM, JUST FROM, YOU KNOW, GOING THROUGH THE HALLS, THE BABIES, THE ROBOTICS ON HOW YOU GUYS PERFORM THE SURGERIES.
AND SO IT WAS A GOOD EXPERIENCE.
AND SO I WANNA SAY THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS AND KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK.
GINA AND GENO, 50 YEARS DESERVES TO BE CELEBRATED.
I'M SO EXCITED THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS, UH, SAW FIT TO CELEBRATE WITH A PROCLAMATION.
UH, AND MAYOR ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WE CAN'T SAY THANK YOU ENOUGH.
UM, AS A PERSON WHO HAS, UM, HAD A HUMAN GROWING INSIDE OF MY BODY, I KNOW, UH, THE KIND OF CARE THAT YOU NEED WHEN IT IS TIME TO, UM, BIRTH YOUR SON OR YOUR DAUGHTER, UM, AND THE WORK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO YEAR AFTER YEAR, DAY AFTER DAY AT THE WOMAN'S HOSPITAL IS EXTRAORDINARY.
AND WE ARE SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE YOU IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND, UM, I LOVE THAT YOU SAID THIS IS YOUR DREAM JOB.
50 YEARS DESERVES TO BE CELEBRATED.
NEXT, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO FOR A PROCLAMATION TO THE GREATER HOUSTON LGBTQ PLUS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
TO CELEBRATE ITS 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY.
I AM HONORED TO TODAY PRESENT A PROCLAMATION TO RECOGNIZE THE HOUSTON LGBTQ PLUS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
THEY ARE, UM, A FANTASTIC ORGANIZATION UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF TAMMY WALLACE, HER BOARD, AND HER STAFF.
IT HAS NOW GROWN TO BE ONE OF THE PILLARS OF HOUSTON'S LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY, AND THEY'RE CELEBRATING THIS YEAR, THEIR 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY WITH THAT.
WHEREAS 2026 MARKS THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GREATER HOUSTON L-G-B-T-Q CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOUNDED IN 2016 TO ADVANCE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, VISIBILITY AND EMPOWERMENT FOR LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY ACROSS GREATER HOUSTON REGION.
AND WHEREAS OVER THE PAST DECADE, THE CHAMBER HAS BECOME A LEADING VOICE FOR LGBTQ PLUS ECONOMIC INCLUSION, FOSTERING MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS AMONG BUSINESSES, COMMUNITY AND CIVIC LEADERS, WHILE STRENGTHENING PATHWAYS TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND ECONOMIC SUCCESS.
AND WHEREAS THE INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS, INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING, ADVOCACY AND COLLABORATION, THE CHAMBER HAS BUILT ONE OF THE NATION'S MOST VIBRANT LGBTQ PLUS ECONOMIC ECOSYSTEMS, BRINGING TOGETHER L-G-B-T-Q AND ALLIED BUSINESSES, PROFESSIONALS, CORPORATE PARTNERS, NONPROFITS, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO THRIVE.
AND SINCE ITS FOUNDING, THE CHAMBER HAS WORKED TO EXPAND OPPORTUNITY, CLOSE ECONOMIC GAPS, STRENGTHEN SUPPLIER DIVERSITY,
[00:15:01]
AND ELEVATE THE VISIBILITY AND IMPACT OF LGBTQ PLUS BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONALS THROUGHOUT GREATER HOUSTON.THE CHAMBER HAS PARTNERED WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS TO ADVANCE MEANINGFUL INITIATIVES THAT SUPPORT LGBTQ PLUS ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT, INCLUDING EFFORTS CONTRIBUTED TO THE CREATION OF THE LGBTQ PLUS ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT COORDINATOR POSITION AND THE OFFICE WITHIN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY.
AND WHEREAS THIS MILESTONE ANNIVERSARY PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE THE CHAMBER'S FOUNDERS, MEMBERS, PARTNERS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS WHOSE VISION AND DEDICATION HAVE HELPED CREATE LASTING PROGRESS AND A STRONGER, MORE INCLUSIVE REGIONAL ECONOMY.
ON THIS OCCASION, THE CITY OF HOUSTON CONGRATULATES THE GREATER HOUSTON LGBTQ PLUS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ON 10 YEARS OF IMPACT ACHIEVEMENT, LEADERSHIP, AND ADVOCACY, AND RECOGNIZES ITS ONGOING COMMITMENT TO ADVANCING ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT, EXPANDING OPPORTUNITY, AND STRENGTHENING THE FUTURE OF LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY ACROSS GREATER HOUSTON.
THANK YOU COUNCILOR CASTILLO AND I COULD BE A GREAT WITNESS, EXPERT WITNESS TO THE FORMATION OF LGBTQ PLUS CHAMBER.
MEANING I WAS IN PUBLIC OFFICE BEFORE THE CHAMBER.
I'VE WITNESSED THE 10 YEARS OF PROGRESS.
I CAN'T IMAGINE HOUSTON WITHOUT THE CHAMBER, THE NETWORKING.
I COULD, UH, I COULD DESCRIBE THE CONTACTS THAT I'VE MADE.
YOU HAD A FOOD DRIVE AND THE, I PULLED UP AND THE MEXICAN CONSULATE GENERAL WAS THERE.
SHE HAS BECOME A LONG TIME FRIEND.
SHE'S IN SAN DIEGO NOW, BUT THINK OF THAT WONDERFUL CONTACT THROUGH THE LGBTQ PLUS CHAMBER AND IT COULD GO ON AND ON.
SO HOUSTON'S A BETTER CITY FOR THE CHAMBER.
I'M IMPRESSED WITH ITS GROWTH.
I THINK WE NEED TO ALL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO INCREASE THE MEMBERSHIP AND ALLOW IT TO PARTICIPATE AND SPREAD EQUALITY NOT ONLY IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, BUT ACROSS THIS GREAT CITY.
THEY ARE SUCH A GREAT FACILITATOR FOR ALL OF US.
SO THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMORE, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM JUNE 9TH, 2026, IS GREATER HOUSTON LGBTQ PLUS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE DAY ACROSS THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I'M A CO-FOUNDER, PRESIDENT, AND CEO OF THE GREATER HOUSTON LGBTQ PLUS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
AND TO SAY THAT TODAY IS NOTHING SHORT OF REMARKABLE WOULD ACTUALLY BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
11 YEARS AGO, GARY WOOD AND I SET OUT TO CREATE AN ORGANIZATION TO FILL A GAP WHERE LGBTQ PLUS BUSINESSES WERE NOT AT THE TABLE.
WE WERE NOT AT THE TABLE WHEN IT COMES TO BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THIS CITY.
AND WE SET OUT TO CHANGE THAT, NOT ONLY TO CHANGE THAT, TO GET A SEAT, BUT TO GET A VOICE.
AND 10 YEARS LATER, WE ARE IN ROOMS, WE ARE IN SPACES, WE ARE, WE HAVE CONNECTIONS THAT OUR COMMUNITY DID NOT HAVE.
WE ARE SIX, ALMOST 600 MEMBERS, STRONG AND GROWING.
THINK ABOUT THE LAST 10 YEARS, POLITICAL HEADWINDS, HURRICANE HARVEY, THE PANDEMIC, WINTER STORM, URI, I COULD GO ON AND ON AND ON.
BUT THIS CHAMBER HAS PERSEVERED AND WE HAVE DONE IT FOR TWO REASONS ACTUALLY.
ONE IS OUR MEMBERS AND SECONDLY, OUR COMMUNITY.
SO WHEN I OFTEN SAY WE ARE JUST GETTING STARTED AS WE CELEBRATE 10 YEARS, AND THIS FRIDAY WE LAUNCH INTO OUR NEXT 10 YEARS AT OUR PRIDE AND BUSINESS CELEBRATION.
WE'RE BUILDING A BIGGER ECOSYSTEM.
WE'RE BRINGING MORE PEOPLE INTO THIS WORK SO WE CAN SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY, CLOSE GAPS, SUPPORT OUR CITY AND SUPPORT OUR REGION.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, THANK YOU FOR THIS HONOR.
MAYOR WHITMEYER, THANK YOU FOR THIS HONOR.
AND TO OUR BOARD AND OUR STAFF, THEY HAVE BEEN HERE EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
THEY ARE WITH US TODAY, OUR BOARD CHAIR, STEVEN MIRANDA, OUR BOARD MEMBER RACHEL BICKHAM.
I'M GRATEFUL FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND LEADERSHIP BECAUSE I DON'T DO WHAT I DO WITHOUT THEM, AND WE DON'T DO WHAT WE DO WITHOUT COMMUNITY.
WE DO HAVE, UH, SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS IN QUEUE.
WE'LL START WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PANZELLA.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, TAMMY, STEVEN, RACHEL, CONGRATULATIONS ON AN AMAZING ACHIEVEMENT HERE.
I WANT TO, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR USING YOUR VOICE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THE REGION IN HOUSTON.
I LOOK FORWARD TO ATTENDING Y'S BRUNCH ON FRIDAY, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO THE MANY MORE YEARS OF SERVICE AHEAD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS, IT IS SO WONDERFUL TO SEE
[00:20:01]
YOU ALL HERE TODAY.AS A FORMER, UH, BOARD MEMBER OF THE LGBT CHAMBER, I, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW SPECIAL IT IS TO GET TO CELEBRATE THIS DAY WITH YOU, STEVEN AND TAMMY, YOU ALL ARE ICONS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU HAVE DONE SO MUCH TO ELEVATE US AND YOU UNDERSTAND PERHAPS BETTER THAN ANYONE JUST HOW IMPORTANT IT IS NOT ONLY TO HAVE A VOICE IN THE POLITICAL ARENA AND THE PUBLIC SECTOR, BUT ALSO IN THE BOARDROOMS ACROSS THE CITY.
AND YOU ALL HAVE DONE FAR MORE THAN PERHAPS MOST TO HELP MAKE THAT POSSIBLE.
AND I KNOW THAT WHEN WE WRITE THE HISTORY OF HOUSTON, TAMMY WALLACE, YOUR NAME'S GONNA BE IN THERE.
IT IS AN HONOR TO HAVE LEARNED FROM YOU AND ALL OF THE L-G-B-T-Q LEADERS IN HOUSTON, IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR STAND ON YOUR SHOULDERS.
SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE TO LIFT UP OUR COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ, THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCILMAN CASTILLO AND MAYOR, UH, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING, UH, THIS PROCLAMATION TO, UH, TODAY TO CITY COUNCIL.
TAMMY AND, UH, STEVEN, I SEE YOU BACK THERE, DISTRICT EYE RESIDENT.
UM, AND RACHEL, CONGRATULATIONS ON 10 YEARS AND TO 10 YEARS MORE SUCCESS.
UM, AND JUST WANT TO ALSO JUST CONTINUE TO EXTEND HOWEVER DISTRICT EYE, UH, BUSINESSES CAN CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE AND EVEN DO OUTREACH.
UH, MY, MY TEAM AND I ARE HERE TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOU ALL.
THANK YOU, TAMMY, FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM DOES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR GREAT WORKS TOGETHER.
THANK YOU MAYOR WHITMEYER FOR A PROCLAMATION TO HFD, CAPTAIN ANDY ROSEBOROUGH AND DR.
JOY ITY TO RECOGNIZE THEIR EXTRAORDINARY COURAGE.
AND MEMBERS, UH, IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT YOU OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, ONE HONOR, MCC CO.
ONE OF OUR CAPTAINS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIRE
THESE GREAT HOUSTONIANS WERE VACATIONING IN MEXICO, NEAR MEXICO CITY, VISITING THE PYRAMIDS AND HEARD GUNSHOT AND OUTCRY FOR HELP.
AND IT WAS A YOUNG CHILD HAD BEEN SHOT.
THEY DID WHAT THEY WERE TRAINED TO DO, NEVER WORRYING ABOUT THEIR SAFETY.
RAN TO THE YOUNG PERSON'S ASSISTANCE, STOPPED THE BLEEDING, WAITED FOR MEXICO'S FIRST RESPONDERS AND SAVED A LIFE.
AND SO THE DEPARTMENT IS CERTAINLY PROUD OF CHEAP, CERTAINLY THE UNION, BUT ALSO ON BEHALF OF ALL ESTONIA, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE, YOUR, YOUR BRAVERY.
AND, UH, WE WANTED YOU TO BE HERE IN COUNCIL TODAY TO LET YOU KNOW, UH, YOU'RE GREAT REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WHEREVER YOU TRAVEL.
SO THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM JUNE 9TH, 2026, IS CAPTAIN ANDY ROSENBERG AND DR.
TI DAY ACROSS THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
EITHER ONE OF YOU, DO YOU HAVE, DO THEY HAVE ANY COMMENTS? AND WE DO HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER IN Q.
IT, IT FEELS WEIRD TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED FOR SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BOTH DONE A LOT IN THE NORMAL COURSE OF OUR DUTIES, BUT I'M, I'M SO PROUD OF MY WIFE TO SEE HER SPRING
[00:25:01]
INTO ACTION IN A VERY TENSE AND BAD SITUATION.I'M, I'M GRATEFUL THAT WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE WHAT WAS A VERY BAD DAY, A LITTLE BETTER FOR A COUPLE PEOPLE THERE.
SO THANK YOU TO THE MEMORIAL HERMANN HOSPITAL SYSTEM AND TO THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR GIVING US THE, THE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING THAT ENABLED US TO HELP THAT DAY.
PASS COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER.
YEAH, JUST WANTED TO SAY, I SAW THIS ON THE NATIONAL NEWS AND THEN I GOT A TEXT FROM MARTY INFORMING ME THAT THIS WAS A HOUSTON FIREFIGHTER.
I'M LIKE, YOU KNOW, HOW COLD IS THAT? AND JUST SPEAKS TO, YOU KNOW, THE PROFESSIONALISM OF BOTH OF YOU AND FANTASTIC THAT Y'ALL WERE ABLE THERE TO TAKE CARE OF THESE PEOPLE.
AND THIS IS A WELL-DESERVED PROCLAMATION FOR YOUR BRAVERY AND COURAGE.
[2:00 P.M. - INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
MEMBER HUFFMAN FOR THE INVOCATION.AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME, UH, STEVE SIMONS TO THE PODIUM.
MR. SIMONS IS A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN, A DEDICATED HUSBAND, DEVOTED FATHER AND GRANDFATHER, AND RESPECTED SMALL BUSINESS OWNER.
HE'S ALSO THE PROUD MEMBER OF THE OAKS DADS CLUB HALL OF FAME, AND FORMER STATE DIRECTOR OF THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS.
THROUGHOUT HIS TIME WITH THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, MR. SIMONS HAS HELD MANY LEADERSHIP ROLES, INCLUDING SERVING AS THE COUNCIL DIRECTOR FOR THEIR PARTNERSHIP WITH INTERFAITH MINISTRIES AND CHAIRS OF THE COLUMBIAN SQUIRES AND INTERNATIONAL CATHOLIC YOUTH FRATERNITY FOR BOYS AGES 10 TO 18 FOCUSED ON LEADERSHIP, SPIRITUAL GROWTH, AND COMMUNITY SERVICE.
MR. SIMONS HAS DEDICATED COUNTLESS HOURS TO SERVING HIS FAITH, HIS FAMILY, AND HIS COMMUNITY.
HIS COMMITMENT TO BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND UPLIFTING OTHERS HAS TOUCHED MANY LIVES.
IN ADDITION, MR. AND MRS. SIMONS HAVE RAISED AN INCREDIBLE SON WHO WILL BE MARRYING MY DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF RACHEL MAXEY IN SEPTEMBER.
SO, WELCOME, THANKS, COUNCILWOMAN.
THIS AFTERNOON WE GATHER AS MEMBERS OF COMMUNITY DIVERSE IN OUR BACKGROUND PERSPECTIVE, IN OUR EXPERIENCES, YET UNITED A SHARED COMMITMENT TO WELLBEING OF OUR
[00:30:01]
GREAT COMMUNITY.MAY WE LISTEN MORE THAN WE SPEAK? SEEK UNDERSTANDING BEFORE JUDGMENT AND WORK FOR NOT FOR PERSONAL GAIN, BUT COMMON GOOD.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US TOGETHER IN FELLOWSHIP AND PURPOSE.
WE WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE GIFT OF COMMUNITY, FOR THE FRIENDSHIPS THAT STRENGTH US AND FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ONE ANOTHER WITH KINDNESS AND HUMILITY.
PLUS, EACH PERSON HERE GOT OUR THOUGHTS, OUR WORDS, AND OUR ACTIONS, SO THEY REFLECT COMPASSION AND INTEGRITY.
MAY THIS GATHERING BE ONE OF WISDOM, ENCOURAGEMENT, A SPIRIT OF COOPERATION THAT CARRIES BEYOND THESE WALLS.
WE ASK FOR YOUR BLESSING ON OUR FAMILIES, OUR WORK AND OUR SHARED MISSION.
AND WE GIVE YOU THANKS FOR THE MANY WAYS YOU CONTINUE TO LEAD US FORWARD.
IN YOUR HOLY NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.
CONGRATULATIONS FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE PUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[ROLL CALL AND ADOPT MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING]
MR. SECRETARY, YOU ON CALL THE ROLL.COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS HERE AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN HERE NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT A MINUTES OF MAY 27TH AND JUNE 2ND.
THOSE OPPOSED NA MOTION PASSES.
ANY PROCEDURAL MOTIONS? I DON'T HAVE ANY.
[PUBLIC SPEAKERS]
FIRST SPEAKER, MR. SECRETARY GLORIA ZINO, TO BE FOLLOWED BY PATRICIA CABRERO.GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS GLORIA ENO AND I'M THE FOUNDER OF BODY OF DOGS, A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF THE EAST END AND A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT I I WAS IN THE EAST END.
IT WAS IN THE EAST END, EXCUSE ME, THAT I FOUND THE TRUE INSPIRATION OF BODY OF DOGS HAVING WITNESSED THE ISSUE OF STRAY ANIMALS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
FIRSTHAND, OUR ORGANIZATION ADDRESSES THE ROOT CAUSES OF THIS CRISIS THROUGH A LONG-TERM STRATEGY OF YOUTH EDUCATION BY TEACHING OUR CHILDREN TO BE BETTER STEWARDS OF THEIR ANIMALS AND THEIR COMMUNITY.
WE ALSO PROVIDE FREE SPAY AND NEUTER SERVICES FOR PET OWNERS THAT CAN'T AFFORD IT.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND MY GRATITUDE TO COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ AND COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO FOR SUPPORTING US WITH THESE TYPES OF SERVICES ALONG WITH PET SET AND EMPTY THE SHELTER PROJECT.
BUT EVEN WITH ALL THAT SUPPORT, WE STILL FACE A SERIOUS ISSUE AND NEED MORE SUPPORT BECAUSE THE PROBLEM IS SO HUGE.
AS COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN MENTIONED LAST WEEK, IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT TO SOLVE IT.
I AM VERY HOPEFUL THAT COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO'S AMENDMENT TO PROVIDE $500,000 TO BARK WILL BE APPROVED.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
NEXT, PATRICIA CABRERA TO BE FOLLOWED BY GLENDA OSORTO OF SPRING.
OKAY, MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'M PATRICIA CABRERA WITH EASTON COMMUNITIES, A COLLABORATIVE OF ORGANIZATIONS, PARTNERS AND RESIDENTS OF MAGNOLIA PARK AND SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE PROMOTE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING BY IMPROVING THE CONDITIONS OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
RIO DOGS IS ONE OF OUR MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS, SO WE UNDERSTAND THE LONG EXISTING PROBLEM OF STRAY DOGS.
WE HOLD A MONTHLY WELLNESS WALK AT ALGO PARK, ARMED WITH SUB SUNSCREEN, BUG SPRAY, AND WALKING STICKS IN CASE WE ENCOUNTER THE VERY LIKELY STRAY DOG OR TWO, WE KNOW THAT THE PROBLEM IS COMPLEX AND EXACERBATED BY THE ECONOMY, HOUSING AND GENERAL LACK OF INFORMATION ON LAWS, RESOURCES, AND KNOWLEDGE OF RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP.
BUT WE WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT WHEN YOU SUPPORT THESE CRITICAL SERVICES, YOU ALLOW PEOPLE TO FEEL SAFE, MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY HEALTHY, AND MOST OF ALL, CONNECTED WITH THEIR NEIGHBORS ON SIDEWALKS, PATHWAYS, AND PARKS.
[00:35:01]
WE THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE SERVICES THAT HELP OUR FOUR-LEGGED FRIENDS AND CREATE SAFE AND WELCOMING COMMUNITIES.NEXT GLENDA OTO OF SPRING TO BE FOLLOWED BY BERNADETTE BLANCO.
I AM A COMMUNITY MEMBER THAT WORKS AT SARAH JOBS, UH, AND I AM HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT OF INCREASED FUNDING FOR BARK.
MY TAKE IS GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
SO IN MY WORK, I MEET PEOPLE EVERY DAY WHO ARE TRYING TO REBUILD THEIR LIVES.
THEY'RE GOING TO SOME TYPE OF TRAUMA, WHETHER IT BE, UM, MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES, UNEMPLOYMENT, OR SIMPLY NAVIGATING TO LIVES, UH, DIFFICULTIES AT TIMES.
AND USUALLY THEIR COMFORT COMES FROM A VERY UNEXPECTED SOURCE, THEIR PETS.
WHETHER IT'S A VETERAN LIVE LIVING WITH PTSD, A SENIOR, UM, BATTLING LONELINESS, A PERSON IN RECOVERY, OR ONE OF MY VERY OWN CLIENTS, UM, I HAVE SEEN FIRSTHAND THE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE THAT THESE LITTLE ANIMALS BRING TO OUR PEOPLE.
UM, BUT BARK'S ROLE EXTENDS FAR BEYOND ADOPTION.
EVERYDAY ANIMALS IN OUR CITY, UM, WHO SUFFER NEGLECT, ABANDONMENT, ABUSE, AND CRUELTY, THEY CANNOT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
AND BARTS BECOMES THEIR ADVOCATE, THEIR REFUGE.
AND, UM, OFTEN MORE THAN NOT A BETTER CHANCE AT, UH, LIVING BARK ALSO PROTECTS OUR NEIGHBORHOODS BY ADDRESSING STRAIN AND ABANDON ANIMALS HUMANELY KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFER.
WHEN YOU FUND BARK, YOU ARE NOT JUST FUNDING AN ORGANIZATION, YOU ARE FUNDING A COMMUNITY'S WELLBEING.
ITS SAFETY AND ITS COMPASSION.
YOU ARE FUNDING THE HEALING OF THE PEOPLE I SERVE AND THE PROTECTION OF THE VOICELESS ANIMALS THAT DEPEND ON US.
I RESPECTFULLY, UM, URGE YOU TO PLEASE SUPPORT BARK AND APPROVE THEIR, UM, BUDGET ASKING.
NEXT, BERNADETTE BLANCO TO BE FOLLOWED BY DARLA BERRY.
I AM A LONGTIME RESIDENT OF THE EAST END DISTRICT.
I, I'M ALSO A VOLUNTEER FOR BARRIO DOGS, UH, AN ANIMAL WELFARE ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO CREATING A BETTER FUTURE FOR ANIMALS AND OUR COMMUNITY.
I HELP, UH, SUPPORT BARRIO DOGS, YOUTH AND PAWS EDUCATION PROGRAM.
WE'RE ADDRESSING HOUSTON'S ANIMAL OVERPOPULATION PROBLEM BY PROVIDING EDUCATION TO TEACH YOUNG HOUSTONIANS AND THEIR FAMILIES ABOUT PROPER PET CARE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SPAIN AND NEUTERING PETS.
I AM HERE TO ASK OUR CITY LEADERS TO PROVIDE MORE FUNDING FOR BARK OPERATIONS.
IT IS UNACCEPTABLE AND EMBARRASSING THAT OUR CITY SPENDS LESS ON ANIMAL WELFARE THAN OTHER MAJOR TEXAS CITIES.
MY DAILY COMMUTE INCLUDES DRIVING ALONG LOCKWOOD DRIVE BETWEEN, UH, MAIN CAMPUS AND LBJ HOSPITAL AND FIFTH WARD.
IT'S VERY COMMON FOR ME TO SEE MULTIPLE STRAY DOGS, UH, ALONG THIS VERY BUSY THOROUGHFARE.
AND I ACTUALLY SAW A DOG GET HIT AND RUN OVER BY A TRUCK, AND THEN FRIGHTENING RUN ACROSS OTHER LANES OF TRAFFIC TO GET TO SAFETY.
IT WAS ALMOST HIT BY ANOTHER CAR, BUT I WAS ABLE TO HONK MY HORN AND PAUSE TRAFFIC LONG ENOUGH FOR THE DOG TO GET OUT OF THE STREET.
SADLY, I HAVE SEEN MULTIPLE DEAD DOGS ON THE SIDE OF THIS AND MANY OTHER HOUSTON ROADS.
IT IS HEARTBREAKING NOT ONLY FOR THE DOGS, BUT FOR THE CHILDREN AND RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN THAT AREA.
STRAY CATS ARE ALSO A CONCERN.
THERE ARE CURRENTLY THREE STRAY CATS THAT ARE REGULARLY ON MY PROPERTY.
THEY'RE FIGHTING AND MATING WAKES ME UP AT NIGHT, MY STREET, EVEN THOUGH RESIDENTIAL IS VERY BUSY AND CARS ARE CONSTANTLY SPEEDING DOWN THE ROAD.
ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO, A CAT WAS HIT AND THEIR DECEASED BODY LAID ON THE UTILITY EASEMENT FOR DAYS.
MY HUSBAND ALSO FOUND A HALF DECEASED CAT IN OUR YARD LAST MONTH.
I AM SURE YOU ALL HAVE READ THE JUNE 2ND, 2026 OPINION PIECE IN THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE BY SHARON STEINMAN.
THIS ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTED THAT OUR CITY ALLOCATES ONLY $6 AND 75 CENTS PER PERSON FOR BARK FUNDING.
WHILE OTHER TEXAS CITIES LIKE DALLAS AND SAN ANTONIO SPENT ALMOST $14 PER PERSON.
YOU ALL ARE ALL IN A POSITION TO MAKE A DIRECT IMPACT ON HOUSTON'S ANIMAL OVERPOPULATION PROBLEM.
YOUR YOUR TIME HAS PLEASE INCREASE FUNDING FOR BARK.
COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ? YES, MAYOR, UH, I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD LUCY MORENO TO THE BOTTOM OF THE TWO AMENDED, UM, AGENDA LIST.
I AM DARLA BERRY WITH EAST END KITTIES.
WE ARE AN ALL VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION THAT CONDUCTS TNR FOR ABOUT 250 CATS A YEAR.
AND WE RESCUE KITTENS TO GET THEM OFF THE STREETS.
[00:40:01]
I'M HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU THAT WE CANNOT SOLVE HOUSTON'S ANIMAL OVERPOPULATION CRISIS ON OUR OWN.EVERY WEEK I SEE DUMPED ANIMALS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD OR SOMEONE REACHES OUT FOR HELP WITH UNWANTED KITTENS OR CATS.
WE ARE OVERWHELMED BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS A PROBLEM WHOSE SOLUTION IS ALREADY WELL KNOWN.
SPAY AND NEUTER IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE INVESTMENT OUR CITY CAN MAKE.
I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER THREE SUGGESTIONS.
WE NEED TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO FREE SPAY AND NEUTER SERVICES FOR LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.
FOR MANY FAMILIES, THIS COST IS SIMPLY OUT OF REACH.
WE NEED PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN TO SHARE THE ENORMOUS BENEFITS OF SPAYING AND NEUTERING.
THIRD, WE COULD FOLLOW SEATTLE'S LEAD AND BAN THE UNFAIR PRACTICE OF PET RENT.
PET RENT PLACES A FINANCIAL BURDEN ON LOW INCOME RENTERS WHO OFTEN HAVE TO ABANDON THEIR FAMILY MEMBER.
PET DAMAGES CAN BE COVERED BY A PET DEPOSIT OR THE REGULAR DEPOSIT.
WE RESCUERS ARE WILLING TO DO THE WORK, BUT WE NEED STRONGER PUBLIC COMMITMENT TO PREVENTION.
I WANT TO ADD A FINAL IMPORTANT PLEA FOR MORE FUNDING FOR BARK.
THERE ARE VALUE VALUABLE PARTNER, BUT THEY'RE REQUIRED TO MEET AN ENORMOUS CHALLENGE CREATED BY HOUSTON RESIDENTS WHO CANNOT AFFORD VETERINARY CARE OR THEY DON'T CARE, OR THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE BENEFITS OF SPAY NEUTER.
BARK IS EXPECTED TO DO THIS WITHOUT THE RESOURCES THEY NEED.
THEY NEED MUCH GREATER FUNDING TO SUPPORT A CITY OF OUR SIZE.
THE ANSWER IS NOT MORE CRISIS RESPONSE.
WE COULD BUILD 10 MORE SHELTERS AND THEY WOULD ALL BE FULL TOMORROW.
THE ANSWER IS PREVENTION AND EDUCATION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS, MARTINEZ AND CASTILLO FOR YOUR PAST SUPPORT.
OH, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO IN THE QUEUE.
DARLA, I WAS GONNA MAKE A COMMENT TO YOU.
I WANTED TO ONE THANK YOU AND ALL THE OTHER SPEAKERS THAT WERE HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT BARK.
Y'ALL ALL MADE FANTASTIC POINTS AS TO WHY WE NEED TO ADD MORE RESOURCES TO BARK AND INCREASE FUNDING FROM THE SPAY AND NEUTER TO THE EDUCATION ON RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP TO TRAP, NEUTER, RELEASE, ALL OF IT.
IT'S AN ALL OF THE ABOVE APPROACH.
UM, THIS IS WHY I'VE ALWAYS ADVOCATED FOR MORE SUPPORT FOR BARK, UH, THROUGH THE CITY, THROUGH MY SERVICE FUND, WORKING WITH, UH, ORGANIZATIONS ON THE GROUND AS WELL.
UM, THIS IS ALL PART OF A, OF A EFFORT THAT ULTIMATELY IS GONNA NEED TO INVOLVE THE COUNTY AS WELL.
UH, BECAUSE THOSE LINES DON'T MEAN ANYTHING TO THE ANIMALS.
AND IF WE DO EVERYTHING RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY'S NOT DOING IT THEIR PART, IT'S, IT'S NOT GONNA MAKE THE IMPACT WE WANTED TO MAKE.
SO, UH, I'M COMMITTED TO CONTINUING, CONTINUING TO SUPPORT Y'ALL IN YOUR EFFORTS AND WORKING ON THOSE LONGER TERM BIGGER SOLUTIONS AS WELL.
SELENA BRA BULLS TO BE FOLLOWED BY LUCY MORENO.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR WHITMEYER AND CITY COUNCIL.
I'M A DISTRICT C RESIDENT AND I'M AN ORGANIZER WITH PEER JUSTICE.
I'M HERE ALONGSIDE MY FELLOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN SUPPORT OF THE PEOPLE'S BUDGET AND A COUPLE RECENTLY PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.
I'VE HAD THE HONOR OF SPEAKING TO Y'ALL BEFORE ABOUT THE NEED TO REIMAGINE SAFETY AND PUT FORTH SOLUTIONS THAT ARE BASED IN RESOURCES AND PROGRAMS TO MEANINGFULLY HELP THOSE CLOSEST TO OUR ISSUES.
YES, SAFETY CERTAINLY INVOLVES UPDATED APARTMENT INSPECTIONS AND MOVE AWAY FROM HARM TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT PRACTICES.
AND IT ALSO REQUIRES ADDRESSING RESIDENTS INCREASINGLY URGENT NEEDS BEFORE THEY EVOLVE INTO ACTIVE DANGER.
LIKE WHEN LARGE TRASH ITEMS ACCUMULATE ON OUR STREETS, DITCHES AND SIDEWALKS WHILE THE SUBMARINES PICK UP.
AND THIS DEBRIS INEVITABLY FLOATS INTO THE ROADS AND CLOGS DRAINS, WHICH ONLY WORSENS AND QUICKENS THE LOCAL FLOODING.
THE ONGOING ILLEGAL DUMPING THE HIRING CRISIS WITHIN PUBLIC WORKS AND LINGERING CONCERNS REGARDING CONTRACTS AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY ARE ALL PRESSING MATTERS AND ISSUES THAT ONE WILL NOT SIMPLY JUST VANISH AND TWO FALL DIRECTLY WITHIN YOUR AUTHORITY TO TAKE ACTION ON.
I URGE YOU TO MOVE FORWARD WITH AMENDMENTS 4 0 2 TO INVEST IN HIRING FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TO HAVE ENOUGH STAFF TO ADDRESS CITYWIDE DRAINAGE ISSUES 4 0 1 TO ALLOCATE MORE FUNDING FOR ILLEGAL DUMPING ADJUSTMENT.
AND 1 0 5 TO CREATE ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES FOR BUDGET FUNDS STEERED TOWARDS CORPORATE BENEFITS RATHER THAN, AGAIN, THE CITY'S PRESSING NEEDS.
THESE AMENDMENTS WILL HELP THIS BUDGET MORE ACCURATELY REFLECT YOUR STATED POSITIONS OF PRIORITIES OF TAKING CARE OF US AS HOUSTONIANS, KEEPING US SAFE AND PREPARING THE CITY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS AND SEASONS.
THE WORLD CUP EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING HERE ARE GOING TO BE FUN AND VIBRANT AND EXCITING IN A WAY THAT ONLY HOUSTON CAN MAKE HAPPEN.
AND AS WE OUTSTRETCH OUR ARMS TOWARDS VISITORS AND FANS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, WE CANNOT FORGET TO EXTEND
[00:45:01]
A HAND TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE MOST IMPACTED YEAR ROUND BY THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM, BY INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES AND POVERTY.I NEVER WANNA MISS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENCOURAGE YOU.
YOU ARE JUST PHENOMENAL AND YOU ARE THE EPITOME OF WHAT WE WANT TO SEE IN OUR YOUTH.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD AND WE'LL CERTAINLY CONSIDER WHAT YOU HAVE PROPOSED.
NEXT LUCY MORENO TO BE FOLLOWED BY CHERYL CHANDLER.
THANK YOU COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ FOR ADDING ME ON.
FIRST I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE PUT YOUR PHONES DOWN.
I'M ON SOCIAL SECURITY TO GET HERE.
SO I THINK I DESERVE YOUR ATTENTION.
YOU'RE ASKING $5 MORE FROM US.
BUT THEY BETTER PICK UP MY TRASH.
YESTERDAY I HAD TO FIGHT WITH THEM.
THEY WANTED ME TO PUSH MY TRASH CAN OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE BECAUSE THEY HAD ALREADY PASSED OUTSIDE.
I HAVE CAMERAS FACING THE STREET, I HAVE PICTURES, VIDEOS, THEN MY OTHER NEIGHBOR DOWN THE STREET, HE'S HALF PARALYZED.
HE COMES DRAGGING HIMSELF TO LET THEM KNOW THEY DIDN'T PICK UP HIS TRASH EITHER.
THE LADY HAS A NERVE TO ASK HIM TO DRAG HIS TRASH CANS OVER TO THEM.
YOU WANT OUR MONEY? WELL, THEY BETTER GET ON THE BALL BECAUSE IT'S NOT FAIR TO US.
AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME BECAUSE ON SOCIAL SECURITY, WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO BE TO SPARE.
AND I'LL BE BACK NEXT WEEK BECAUSE I HAVE SOLUTIONS FOR THE BARK THING.
I THINK I BROUGHT 'EM TO YOU WHEN YOU WERE AN ASSISTANT TO TRAVINO, BUT I'M VERY ANGRY.
OH, BEST OF ALL, THEY BROKE MY TRASH CAN ON PURPOSE IN FRONT OF MY FACE, MY GREEN ONE.
AND IF I HAVE ANY MEDIA PEOPLE OUT THERE, I WILL GIVE THEM THE VIDEOS.
I WILL GIVE THEM EVERY PICTURE I HAVE BECAUSE HOW DARE THEY? AND I'M ANGRY, MAYBE NOT DIRECTLY AT YOU, BUT THE PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR YOU BECAUSE THEY THINK WE'RE IGNORANT.
WE'RE IN WHEREVER WE LIVE AND WE'RE NOT GONNA SPEAK UP.
THEY'RE VERY WRONG BECAUSE SOME OF THEM, EVEN SOME OF US EVEN HAVE TWO DEGREES.
BUT WE LIVE THERE BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE WERE RAISED.
I TAUGHT IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND I WILL ALWAYS SPEAK UP FOR MY NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE EAST END.
SO HOW DARE THE CITY TAKE THAT ATTITUDE WITH US THAT YOU CAN EVEN BREAK OUR TRASH CAN BECAUSE HEY, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE DEALING WITH IT.
AND WHEN I COME UP HERE, I'M GONNA HAVE RECEIPTS.
SO I DIDN'T COME UP HERE TO WASTE YOUR TIME OR MINE.
YOU WANT PICTURES? I THINK I SENT SOME TO COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ, COUNCILWOMAN SALINAS'S OFFICE AND I'LL PULLED UP MY RING VIDEOS BECAUSE THIS IS ONE CRAZY WOMAN THAT HAS 38 CAMERAS AROUND HER HOUSE.
'CAUSE I LIVE TOO CLOSE TO GREYHOUND.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR PAYING ATTENTION.
SO FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
I APOLOGIZE THAT YOU HAD THAT EXPERIENCE BECAUSE THAT IS DEFINITELY NOT THE EXPERIENCE WE WANT FOR HOUSTONIANS.
AND IF YOU DO HAVE FOOTAGE OF SOMEONE INTENTIONALLY BREAKING YOUR TRASH CAN, I DEFINITELY WANNA SEE IT.
UM, BECAUSE THAT MEANS THAT SOMEBODY EITHER NEEDS TO BE RETRAINED OR DISCIPLINED.
UM, ALSO, UH, WANT TO NOTE, ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH OUR SOLID WASTE BACKDOOR PROGRAM? UM, SO IF THERE ARE RESIDENTS, WE WE HAVE A COUPLE OF RESIDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE PARALYZED OR HAVE SOME MOBILITY ISSUES WHERE THEY HAVE THE PROGRAM WHERE THEY CAN TAKE THEIR TRASH CAN IN AND OUT.
AND IF YOU AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH THAT, I WOULD ENCOURAGE, UM, I'M NOT SURE WHICH ONE OF YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT PROGRAM.
ESPECIALLY YOU SAID YOU HAD A NEIGHBOR THAT'S PARALYZED THAT WE GET FOR HIM, HIM ON THE PROGRAM SO THAT WE CAN TRY TO ASSIST WITH HIS TRASH ON, ON, ON A WEEKEND TO DRAG HIMSELF TWO HOUSES AWAY FROM HIS TO TRY TO GET HIS TRASH PICKED UP.
RIGHT? SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU KNEW ABOUT THOSE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE AND ALSO THAT WE WILL ADDRESS IF THERE WAS AN INCIDENT OF SOMEONE BREAKING YOUR TRASH CAN INTENTIONALLY, THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE.
AND WE'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT FOOTAGE THAT WE CAN SHARE WITH THE, THE DIRECTOR.
I CAN OPEN THE RECYCLE BIN ANYMORE.
I WE CAN GET YOU A REPLACEMENT.
MINE AND THE OTHER GENTLEMAN'S ON THE SIDE BECAUSE I KNOW YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER CAN DEFINITELY WORK TO GET YOU A REPLACEMENT DATE.
[00:50:01]
KNOW HE WILL.UH, A COUPLE MORE COUNCIL MEMBERS WANT TO ASK YOU QUESTIONS.
IF YOU'LL GIVE MS. WILSON BEFORE YOU LEAVE YOUR ADDRESS, WE'LL GET YOU ONE.
HOPEFULLY IT'LL BE THERE WHEN YOU GET HOME.
OKAY? AND WE'RE SORRY ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES NOT REFLECTIVE OF SOLID WASTE.
WE HAVE OUTSTANDING CITY EMPLOYEES AND I'M NOT CERTAIN WHAT WAS TAKING PLACE.
IT HASN'T JUST BEEN YESTERDAY.
I HAVE ANOTHER VIDEO WELL, WHERE I HAVE FOLLOWED UP.
WE'LL LOOK AT YOUR VIDEOS AND HAD MARTINEZ'S OFFICE ON THE PHONE LIKE THIS SO THEY CAN HEAR.
BECAUSE THEY DID NOT WANT TO PICK UP MY TRASH FOR SOME REASON.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.
BUT WHEN YOU LEAVE, GIVE YOUR ADDRESS.
AND, UH, WE'LL CALL THE DIRECTOR.
HE'LL HAVE SOMEONE DELIVER YOU.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A RECYCLING BIN.
OKAY, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
UH, LUCY, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
UM, I DID GET THE DIRECT MESSAGE THAT YOU SENT ON FACEBOOK, BUT, UH, I WANNA STEP OUT AS WELL BECAUSE, UH, ASIDE FROM FACEBOOK, IT'S GOOD TO CALL THE OFFICE AS WELL.
UH, THE PROGRAM THAT, UH, MAYOR PRO, TIM AND CASSIUS TATUM MENTIONED, UH, IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DEFINITELY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE ON AND OR ANY, ANY OF THE NEIGHBORS.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HELP A LOT OF OUR CONSTITUENTS, YOU KNOW, GET ON IF THEY HAVE DISABILITIES OR HAVE CHALLENGES TAKING THE, THEIR, THEIR, UH, REFUSE CART TO THE, UM, TO THE, UM, TO THE STREET AS FAR AS THE, UH, THE BEHAVIOR.
I, I ECHO AS, AS WELL, UH, MAYOR, MAYOR, PRO TEM.
UM, COMMENTS, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS DONE INTENTIONALLY, THEN ALLOW MY TEAM TO BE ABLE TO LOOK INTO IT AND HELP ADDRESS IT, UM, AS WELL.
BUT, UH, WHAT I WANNA DO IS BEFORE, UH, I'M GONNA STEP OUT AND SPEAK TO YOU, UH, BEFORE YOU LEAVE TODAY, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALSO HAVE THE OFFICE NUMBER, THE DISTRICT I EMAIL BECAUSE THE, THAT FOOTAGE IS IMPORTANT AND WE CAN, WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT AS WELL.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
HOW UPSET I WASN'T, I FORGOT I SAID I HAVE ALL THAT RING VIDEO.
WHAT THE HECK AM I PAYING FOR ALL THESE CAMERAS FOR? I'M NOT
AND, AND LIKE I SAID, I KNOW WE, WE COMMUNICATE SOMETIMES TO THE, UH, FACEBOOK MESSENGER, BUT REALLY THE, UH, THE, THE BEST WAY TO, TO GET GO ABOUT DOING, YOU KNOW, THIS KIND OF WORK IS TO CALL THE OFFICE.
SO THAT WAY MY TEAM CAN JUMP ON IT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
SO I'LL STEP OUT IN A BIT WITH YOU AS WELL.
AND I ASK THE REST OF YOU THAT, THAT HAVE SENIORS, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT NO ONE ABUSES THE NOT TAKING THEIR TRASH AND THEY TAKE IT OUT ON THEM.
IT'S EASY TO TAKE IT OUT ON US BECAUSE THEY THINK WE'RE MEEK.
I WAS OUT THERE TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO VOTE THAT DAY, ALL DAY.
SO I WILL GO OUT AND FIGHT FOR YOU GUYS, BUT YOU GOTTA FIGHT FOR ME.
YOU, YOU KNOW, I LIKE YOUR FIRE, MS. MORENO.
I MEAN, YOU GETTING SOME ACT RIGHT IN HERE.
YOU GOT EVERYBODY PUT THEIR PHONES DOWN, ESPECIALLY ME.
AND CERTAINLY I APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, POOR BEHAVIOR AND MISTREATMENT IS NEVER ACCEPTABLE.
AND YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A CAMERA, BUT THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT DON'T.
BUT IT SHOULDN'T TAKE A CAMERA FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW HOW TO TREAT OTHER PEOPLE.
I MEAN, WHO'S TO SAY WHEN OR IF WE WILL EVER BE IN A POSITION WHERE WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO, TO DO THOSE THINGS THAT WE EXACTLY ARE ACCUSTOMED TO DOING? AND SO CERTAINLY IT IS VERY MINDFUL OF THIS BODY THAT MORE MONEY DOES DEMAND MORE ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND SO CERTAINLY IT WOULD BE, UM, JUST A, A TERRIBLE THING FOR US TO ASK FOR THE ASSISTANCE TO TRY TO GET THESE THINGS AND THEN NOT BE ACCOUNTABLE.
UH, THE SERVICE DOES NOT IMPROVE.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD.
I CAN'T PROMISE IT'S GONNA STAY DOWN, BUT CERTAINLY I DO APPRECIATE YOUR FIRE AND YOU'RE COMING TODAY.
IT'S JUST, I PAID MONEY FOR MY GAS.
COUNCILOR SALINAS, I WANNA THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TO COUNCIL.
UM, I'M SO SORRY THAT THAT HAPPENED TO YOU.
IT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN TO ANYBODY, BUT YOU ARE INCREDIBLY BRAVE AND PROUD.
I KNOW YOU SPOKE TO VERONICA ON MY TEAM YESTERDAY.
KNOW THAT WE ARE ALL HERE TO HELP YOU.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE IN THIS FIGHT.
AND THANK YOU FOR STANDING UP FOR ALL SENIORS IN HOUSTON, BUT WE'VE GOT YOU.
MA'AM, TALK TO MS. CHERYL CHANDLER TO BE FOLLOWED BY RANDALL BAXLEY.
HELLO, MY NAME IS CHERYL CHANDLER.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON TO MAYOR WHITMEYER, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU TO DISTRICT B COUNCIL LADY JACKSON FOR HER ASSISTANCE.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
TO RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT CITY COUNCIL APPROVE AN HONORARY STREET MARKER AT SIX 11 GROVE STREET AT GILLESPIE.
THIS MARKER IS FOR REVEREND LACEY.
HE PASTORED AT ONE CHURCH 40 YEARS.
[00:55:01]
HIS EARTHLY WORK INCLUDED FIVE CHURCHES THAT HE PASTORED.HE BUILT FOUR OF THOSE CHURCHES.
AND ALL THOSE CHURCHES UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP WERE PA WENT UP ON HIS DEPARTURE.
THEY WERE ALL PAID FOR, WHICH MEANT THAT THEY HAD BURNT THEIR NOTE.
REVEREND LACEY SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS AWAY FROM HIS FAMILY BECAUSE OF HIS GOD-GIVEN ASSIGNMENT AT GREATER MOUNT OLIVE.
THE BLACK HISTORY PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED AND YOUR OWN COUNCILMAN POLLARD WAS OUR SPEAKER.
HE ESTABLISHED A LACY DAY PROGRAM, THE LESTER, HER SCHOLARSHIP FUND, A YOUTH CHOIR THAT GREW TO 50 OR MORE CHILDREN, THE SAY TO NO DRUG PROGRAM, THE VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL.
HE REESTABLISHED THE WOMEN'S MISSION DEPARTMENT.
EACH SUMMER WE HAD BACKPACKS FOR EVERY CHILD IN THE COMMUNITY AND A VOUCHER WHERE THEY COULD GO BY THEIR UNIFORMS. REVEREND LAS WAS ALSO HONORED AS PASTOR OF THE YEAR BY PRAIRIE VIEW A AND M UNIVERSITY MINISTRY ASSOCIATION.
HE HELD A TITLE OF DEAN IN THE SOUTH TEXAS DISTRICT WHERE HE TAUGHT ETHICS.
HE WAS HONORED BY THE LATE SHEILA JACKSON LEE AND SYLVESTER TURNER FOR HIS SO ENTIRELY WORK IN THE FIFTH WARD COMMUNITY.
I DO NOT HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO TELL YOU ALL OF HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS, BUT I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT CITY COUNCIL, PLEASE APPROVE THIS MARKER.
FOR A MAN THAT WAS HAD INTEGRITY, CHARACTER, MORALS, AND HONESTY, A MAN THAT YOU WOULD'VE BEEN PROUD TO KNOW, PLEASE APPROVE THIS MARKER BECAUSE IT WILL CELEBRATE OUR MOTHER'S HUSBAND, OUR FATHER'S LIFETIME SERVICE AT ONE CHURCH, ONE CORNER, AND ONE COMMUNITY IN FIFTH WARD FOR 40 YEARS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT TO OUR CITY.
MS. JACKSON, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON.
AND YOU MA'AM, CHANDLEY FOR COMING IN.
I'M REALLY EXCITED AND HONORED TO, UM, VOTE ON THE MARKET TOMORROW AND I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES, UM, WILL JOIN ME IN SUPPORTING THANK YOU, UM, GETTING THIS APPROVED.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR SHARING THE, UM, THE THE JUST THE IMPACT YEAH.
UM, MR. LACEY HAS MADE ON OUR COMMUNITIES AND SO LOOKING FORWARD TO YES.
YOU HAVE A LAST ONE? THANK YOU MR. POLL.
NO, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD AND THOSE REMARKS YOU MADE, UM, UH, YOUR FAMILY HAS A VERY RICH HISTORY.
AND IT NEEDS TO BE COMMEMORATED AND CELEBRATED AND ACKNOWLEDGED.
AND YOU'RE DOING THAT TODAY ON BEHALF OF YOUR FAMILY.
UH, AND I WANT TO GIVE AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO NOT ONLY REVEREND LACEY, BUT THE ENTIRE FAMILY MM-HMM
FOR YOUR SACRIFICES AND CONTRIBUTIONS AS WELL.
BECAUSE IT REALLY IS A COMMUNITY AND A FAMILY AFFAIR.
THANK YOU AGAIN, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO APPOINTING.
DID A GREAT JOB WHEN YOU CAME.
RANDALL BAXLEY TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOON TYLER, GOOD AFTERNOON.
I AM A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT H AND, UH, I HAVE MAILED A STATEMENT TO RENEE THAT, UH, IS PAYING ATTENTION TO ANOTHER CONSTITUENT AT THE MOMENT.
BUT RE RENEE, IF, IF HE COULD, UH, SEND THE STATEMENT OVER, IT'S PROBABLY A LOT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TIME I HAVE HERE, WHETHER I HAVE ONE.
I I'M ON THE SECOND, ON THE SECOND LIST THERE.
WE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF TIME THEN, SO I CAN SAY A LITTLE BIT.
BUT THE, I'M SLOW AND THERE'S A STATEMENT THAT I'VE PREPARED THAT IS IN AN EMAIL HE CAN SEND TO THE REST OF Y'ALL.
UM, AND THE, UH, THIS LAST WEEK, WHITE OAK AND BUFFALO BIOS, AS WELL AS LITTLE WHITE OAK BIO ALL CAME VERY CLOSE TO, THEY CAME TO A LEVEL THAT THEY DID, UH, DAMAGE SOME PROPERTIES AND WERE MOVING TOWARDS GETTING TO OTHERS.
THE, UH, STREET FLOODING IN THE HEIGHTS ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON WAS TERRIBLE.
UH, ITEM FIVE IS ONE THAT'S NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART IS IT'S, I MEAN, THESE WELLS HAVE TO BE CLEANED DOWN, DOWN INSIDE THE DRAINS, THE DRAIN GOES ALONG, AND AS THE TRASH GOES BY, THERE ARE WELLS DOWN IN THERE AND THOSE, THE TRASH GOES IN THOSE WELLS.
WHEN THOSE WELLS GET FULL, THE TRASH JUST GOES AND BLOCKS SOMETHING UP.
AND THEN THAT'S WHAT WE GET IS THOSE KINDS OF FLOODING THAT WE HAD IN THE STREET AND HEIGHTS WITH THIS WEEKEND.
UH, IF THESE TYPES OF PROJECTS OF ITEM FIVE ARE PRODUCED QUICKLY AND
[01:00:01]
AND DONE RIGHT, THAT WILL NOT HAPPEN BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE ALREADY PRODUCED LARGE PIPES IN THE PARTS OF THE CITY.UH, OTHER THAN THAT, I WANT TO SPEAK TO THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE CIVIC CLUBS AND THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE AS BEING A MUCH BETTER PROCESS AS, AS GOOD AS THIS PROCESS IS OF COMING AND TALKING TO YOU.
THAT PROCESS IS MUCH BETTER IN ALLOWING INDIVIDUALS TO MOVE UP FROM THEIR, FROM THEIR RESIDENTS WHERE THEY SEE A PROBLEM CAN TAKE THAT PROBLEM TO THEIR, TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
TAKE THAT TO THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD CAN TAKE THAT TO THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE.
THE MAYOR APPOINTS PEOPLE FROM THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE AND FROM OTHERS THAT COME TO THAT, TO THE COMMITTEES THAT PRODUCE ORDINANCES THAT THIS BODY VOTES ON.
AND THAT PROCESS NEEDS TO BE KNOWN TO ALL RESIDENTS, NOT JUST TO THOSE OF US WHO TAKE CARE TO DIG IT OUT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS TODAY.
RANDY, DID YOU SAY YOU, YOU HAVE A STATEMENT HERE TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO US? YES.
IF RENEE CAN AN EMAIL, CAN YOU FORWARD THAT EMAIL ON OKAY.
TO THEM? I WANNA MAKE SURE WE WE DO GET THAT IF YOU BROUGHT IT FOR US.
I, I HAD, I PREPARED A SHORT OF TIME AND DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO PUT TO FIND THE, UH, I HAVE THE MAYOR AND ALL OF Y'ALL.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
TYLER JOON TYLER NEXT SPEAKER, VERNON BRUSARD.
VERNON BROUSSARD TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALYSSA
I LIVED IN DISTRICT BEEF FOR OVER TWO DECADES.
I'M A PROUD MEMBER OF NORTHEAST COLLECTIVE.
WITH THE BUDGET BEING VOTED, BEING WITH THE BUDGET VOTE BEING TOMORROW, I'M ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL TO MAKE SURE THEY VOTE YES AGAINST THE AMENDMENTS AND FOR REPORTING THE ABATEMENTS THE AMENDMENTS CONCERN, THE ILLEGAL DUMPING AND THE AMENDMENTS FOR GETTING MORE RESOURCES.
ENSURE PUBLIC WORKS MEETS THEIR CRUCIAL KPI OF HIRING 500 EMPLOYEES.
THE AMENDMENTS FOR PUBLIC WORKS ABSOLUTELY IS CRUCIAL FOR MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE HAVE FLOODED FAR TOO MANY TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM TO BE IGNORED.
AND NOW MY HOME AND MANY OTHERS, FA FACE HAD ALL THE INCREASED RISK OF FLOODING WITH THE NEW FEMA MAPS AND THE DITCHES IN MY NEIGHBORHOODS ARE ONE OF OUR MAIN LINES OF DEFENSE.
I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE STRONG INVESTMENTS FROM THIS FOR, FOR THIS COUNCIL INTO RE UH, INTER DITCH REESTABLISHMENT PROGRAMS AND WHAT FLOOD PROTECTION COULD MEAN FOR GLENWOOD FORESTS.
THIS PROTECTION CAN HELP OUR COMMUNITIES RECOVER, REDUCE FLOOD RISK AND PROTECT WHAT IS OFTEN A FAMILY'S MOST VALUABLE ASSET, OUR HOMES.
BUT NONE OF THIS CAN BE DONE IN A TIMELY FASHION WITHOUT WORKS BEING FULLY STAFFED.
PLEASE SUPPORT THE PASSING AMENDMENTS OF 4.02.
I CAN'T EMPHASIZE THIS CLEARLY ENOUGH.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP THE INFRASTRUCTURE WORKING AND ADDITIONAL THROUGHOUT THE NORTHEAST HOUSTON.
WE ARE THROUGHOUT THE NORTHEAST HOUSTON, THERE ARE DANGEROUS TREE LIMBS HANGING OVER POWER LINES AND HOMES.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CITY TAKE A MORE PRODUCTIVE APPROACH IN ADDRESSING THESE HAZARDOUS BEFORE THEY CAUSE DAMAGE.
SIMILAR TO WHAT MANY RESIDENTS AND SPEARS DURING HURRICANE BARREL.
I WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS IDEAS AND COLLABORATE ON SITUATIONS TO HELP ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME CONSIDERATION AND YOUR SERVICE TO OUR CITIES COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, SIR.
COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU, MEMBER, THANK YOU FOR COMING IN AND, UM, SHARING YOUR, UM, STATEMENT.
UM, IF, IF THERE ARE ANY POWER LINES OR TREES AROUND POWER VEGETATION, UM, REACH OUT TO OUR OFFICE.
THAT'S THE DISTRICT, THE OFFICE AND CONTACT 3 1 1 SO THAT THAT CAN BE REPORTED.
AND THEN WE ACTUALLY HAD A, UM, DISASTER RECOVERY WITH PREPAREDNESS WORKSHOP ON SATURDAY.
AND, UM, CENTER POINT WAS THERE.
AND RIGHT NOW CENTER POINT IS IN THE COMMUNITY CLEARING UP VEGETATION.
AND SO THE ONLY WAY WE KNOW WHERE THIS VEGETATION IS AT AND NEED TO BE CLEARED UP IS IF YOU GUYS LET US KNOW.
SO PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE AND THEN MARY IS IN THE AUDIENCE, OR SOMEONE FROM MY STAFF WILL GET
[01:05:01]
WITH YOU SO THAT WE CAN GET THAT LOCATION.THANK YOU AGAIN FOR COMING IN.
NEXT SPEAKER, ELISSA COYAR TO BE FOLLOWED BY DAVID ESPINOZA.
FIRST, I WANTED TO VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR SOME AMENDMENTS.
SOME OF THEM HAVE ALREADY BEEN BROUGHT UP, UH, INCLUDING THE INCREASED HIRING CAPACITY FOR PUBLIC WORKS, INCREASED TRANSPARENCY AND REPORTING FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS FOR THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT FOR ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR, I HEARD DIRECTOR MACKEY SAY SOMETHING LIKE PUBLIC WORKS IS WORKING ON MAKING WATER RATES MORE EQUITABLE ACROSS THEIR CUSTOMER BASE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT THAT WORK TURNS UP.
UM, AND I WANTED TO SAY THAT I, I SEE THE CITY'S NEED FOR MORE REVENUE AND I AM GLAD ACTUALLY THAT YOU ARE WORKING TO FIND A SOLUTION.
I THINK IN THIS TRASH FEE AND IN THE MOVE FROM THE CUS, UH, THE RIGHT OF WAY FEE FROM THE CUS, YOU HAVE FOUND A PATCH FOR THE BOAT THAT MAY HOLD FOR THE MOMENT.
UM, BUT IN MY OPINION, I DO NOT THINK IT IS EQUITABLE.
I DO NOT THINK IT IS A LONG-TERM SOLUTION.
AND IN FACT, I THINK, UH, AS TIME PROGRESSES, IT WILL ACTUALLY PLACE A HIGHER SHARE OF THE BURDEN ON A SMALLER NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
UM, AND I'M NOT INHERENTLY OPPOSED TO A TRASH FEE.
UH, I WANT SOLID WASTE TO HAVE THE FUNDING IT NEEDS.
I WANT OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND OUR HOUSING DEPARTMENT AND OUR WATER SYSTEM AND OUR LIBRARIES TO HAVE THE FUNDING THAT THEY NEED TOO.
UH, I, I THINK LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE, A WORRY THAT OUR CITY IS MOVING TOWARDS A PLACE WHERE IT IS JUST A POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH APARTMENT, WITH, UH, CUP HOLDERS.
UH, AND, AND I CAME HERE FOR THREE REASONS, REALLY.
ONE, SOMEBODY TOLD ME THERE WOULD BE FREE FOOD.
TWO, I LOVE THIS CITY AND I, I WANTED TO BE AS GOOD AS POSSIBLE FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE.
AND THREE, A LITTLE OVER A MONTH AGO, I WATCHED AS SOMETHING THAT HUNDREDS OF HOUSTONIANS HAD ADVOCATED FOR, FOR MONTHS, CAME UP FOR A VOTE.
AND THE ONLY THING THAT REALLY MATTERED WAS NOT THE LAW.
IT WASN'T THEIR FEAR OR THEIR GRIEF OR, OR THEIR OPINION OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU GOVERN, BUT THE OPINION OF THE GOVERNOR.
IT IS NOT REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY.
AND I THINK IT IS A SIGN THAT SOMETHING IS BROKEN HERE.
SO I, I KNOW YOU HAVE HARD DECISIONS AND I URGE YOU TO REALLY LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE HERE TODAY AND TONIGHT.
REALLY CONSIDER WHAT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY WHO HAVE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF POWER, UM, AS YOU MAKE YOUR DECISIONS.
UH, AND I SUPPOSE THAT'S ALL I REALLY WANTED TO SAY.
NEXT DAVID ESPINOZA TO BE FOLLOWED BY KARINA BLESSED.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS DAVID VALENTI ESPINOZA.
I AM A CO-DIRECTOR AT WEST STREET RECOVERY AND A RESIDENT OF FIFTH WARD.
UM, SO FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN, UH, DOING VOLUNTEER WORK, WORKING AT WEST STREET, UM, ME AND MY NEIGHBORS HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING AND JUST FIGURING OUT THE WAYS THAT, THE REASONS AS TO WHY FLOODING HAPPENS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND ULTIMATELY WHAT MY NEIGHBOR IS GONNA SAY OR HAVE SAID OVER RIGHT NOW, RIGHT NOW, OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS THAT I'VE, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM, UM, THE BIG THING IS INVESTMENT, RIGHT? UH, WE NEED INVESTMENT IN THE RESOURCES THAT WE, THAT WE NEED, THE INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, THAT WILL ACTUALLY KEEP FLOOD WATERS OFF OF OUR HOMES.
THAT ACTUALLY TO INVEST IN OUR SAFETY AND OUR WELLBEING, OUR STATE OF MIND THAT ALLOWS US TO LIVE THERE LONG TERM ALLOWS US TO RUN OUR BUSINESSES AND MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES FEEL SAFE.
ALTHOUGH, FIRST, I DO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I KNOW THAT THERE IS SOME FUNDING ALREADY SET ASIDE FOR LDP AND THE DITCH REESTABLISHMENT, AND THESE ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS THESE, UH, THE PROBLEMS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN OUR COMMUNITIES WITH FLOODING.
SO I WANNA THANK Y'ALL FOR THAT, BUT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, A START.
UM, BUT I'M ASKING HERE, UH, THE COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THREE AMENDMENTS, AND THAT'S A MEANT 4.01 THAT WILL ALLOCATE 3 MILLION FOR ILLEGAL DUMPING.
UM, THERE'S PROBLEM WITH BIG, BIG, UH, UH, OPEN LOTS OR, UH, STREETS WITH NO, NO, UH, FRONT FACING HOUSES OR JUST TRASH IS DUMPED OFF SOMETIMES BY CONTRACTORS.
THERE'S A LOT OF BUILDING MATERIAL OUT THERE THAT WE PICKED UP DURING OUR CLEANUP DAY.
UM, AND THESE ARE LIKE STREETS, LIKE WAYSIDE, LIBERTY ROAD, GREEN RIVER ROAD STREETS THAT Y'ALL PROBABLY HAVE DRIVEN DOWN.
[01:10:01]
PROBABLY WANNA AVOID DRIVING DOWN BECAUSE HOW IT LOOKS.UM, I'VE BEEN 4.02, THAT'S INVESTING 500 K AND FIVE, UM, HIRING PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES.
WE NEED TO INVEST IN, IN HANDS, WORKING HANDS THAT WILL, UM, BUILD THAT DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE AND AMENDMENT 1.05.
AND THAT'S THE IMPLEMENT ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES FOR THE $93 MILLION THAT WE GIVE IN TAX ABATEMENTS TO CORPORATIONS.
AND THIS IS TO KEEP TABS OF OUR INDUSTRIES, UH, THAT RECEIVE TAX ABATEMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE FOLLOWING UP ON THEIR END OF THE BARGAIN, UH, AS FAR AS JOB CREATION GOES.
AND THESE AMENDMENTS ARE A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
BUT CONSIDERING LAST YEAR'S BUDGET AND WHAT WE'VE READ IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, UM, I FEEL LIKE IT, WE DO FEEL LIKE IT DOES MORE HARM THAN GOOD.
SO I'M ASKING ALL OF MY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO VOTE NO ON THAT BUDGET TO OPPOSE AN, AN INEQUITABLE TRASH FEE, THE TION OF OUR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING, AND CONTINUE TO OVERINVESTMENT IN POLICING.
OVERALL, THE BUDGET DID NOT SERVE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO BE REPRESENTED IN THIS ROOM IS.
SO WHAT WE WANT IS A PEOPLE'S BUDGET.
SO I WANT YOU TO KEEP LOOKING AT THAT OVER THERE, WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE THE CITY NEED YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
NEXT CORINA, BLESSED TO BE FOLLOWED BY MURTALA.
COUNCIL MEN AND WOMEN MAYOR WHITMEYER, THANK YOU FROM FOR GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK PRIMARILY ABOUT THE TRASH FEE.
I AM ABSOLUTELY OKAY WITH PAYING FOR TRASH.
I DEEPLY APPRECIATE OUR PUBLIC WORKERS, AND I THINK THEY DESERVE A BETTER PAY.
IT, IT, IT IS THANKS TO, UH, CHRIS HOLLINS AND EDWARD POLLER THAT I'M HERE TO WHAT I HAVE CALLED THE GREAT SWITCHEROO, TAKEN FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND PUT IT INTO PUBLIC UTILITY FUND.
UH, COUNCILMAN JOKI MARTINEZ HAS BEEN, UH, VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING ME WITH MY 3 1 1 REQUESTS.
AND AS I DON'T KNOW, I HOPE YOU DON'T REMEMBER, BUT I HAVE CALLED TWICE BECAUSE OF MY SEWAGE BEING BACKED UP AND OVERFLOWING INTO MY HOME.
THE SEWAGE FUND NEEDS TO BE PROTECTED.
THE WATER FUND NEEDS TO BE PROTECTED.
PLEASE, COUNCILMAN AND WOMEN DO NOT APPROVE THIS TRASH FEE.
I GUARANTEE YOU, SOMEBODY WITH A HOME THAT IS ONE TO $3 MILLION HAVE A LOT MORE TRASH THAN I PRODUCE IN MY HOME.
THAT IS NOT OF THAT AMOUNT, AND THEY WOULD NOT BE BOTHERED TO PAY A GREATER AMOUNT THAN IT'S WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED.
SOMETHING THAT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT IS OUR LANDFILL SITUATION.
AND I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, THE LANDFILL IS NOT BEING ACCOUNTED INTO OUR $43, WHICH IS ACTUALLY THE COST OF OUR TRASH FEE.
IT IS NOT $25 AND IT'S NOT $5.
SO I AM HAPPY TO PAY FOR THE ACTUAL COST OF OUR TRASH FEE.
HOWEVER, WE NEED TO BE TALKING ABOUT OUR LANDFILL SITUATION BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO RUN OUTTA SPACE AND OUR COST IS GOING TO INCREASE DRAMATICALLY BECAUSE THOSE TRASH, THE TRASH THEY PICK UP, THEY'RE GONNA BE TRANSPORTED MUCH FARTHER AWAY.
AND THE COST OF ACTUALLY CREATING NEW LANDFILL WILL BE, I'M SURE, VERY HIGH.
SOMETHING ELSE THAT I WANNA SHARE WITH Y'ALL, LAST SATURDAY MORNING, A MAN CARRYING A MACHETE RAN DOWN MY DRIVEWAY INTO MY BACKYARD, AND I THOUGHT I WAS BEING DELUSIONAL, BUT THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED.
UH, I'M, I'M NOT HAPPY TO REPORT THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD M INTO THE GREASY HOOD NEWS WHERE YOU CAN CHECK OUT FOOTAGE OF THIS INCIDENT.
WHY AM I BRINGING THIS UP? DID I CALL HPD? NO, SIR, I DID NOT BECAUSE I NEEDED HELP.
SO I KNEW TO CALL OUR CONSTABLES BECAUSE WHEN I CALLED THE CONSTABLES, THEY'RE AT MY DOOR 10 TO 15 MINUTES.
AND WHY IS THAT? THEY HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY, SOMETHING THAT HPD, WHOM I DEEPLY RESPECT DO NOT HAVE.
SO INSTEAD OF GIVING THEM AN 8% INCREASE IN SALARY, USE THAT MONEY TO PROVIDE GPS TRACKERS SO THAT WHEN SOMEBODY CALLS HPD, THEY RESPOND IN AN ADEQUATE AMOUNT OF TIME.
I HAVE CALLED HPD BEFORE, IT'S TWO PLUS HOURS.
WAIT, IF THEY SHOW UP, WE HAVE A PROBLEM, HOUSTON, AND IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
SO PLEASE ALLOCATE FUNDS WHERE THEY NEED A BUDGET OF 40, 60% IN HPD.
NICK TALA TRISTAN TO BE FOLLOWED BY ANITA GUEVARA.
UM, SHE NEEDS A TRANSLATOR, SO SHE'LL GO FIRST AND THEN
[01:17:40]
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.I AM STAN, AND I LIVE IN LAKEWOOD AREA OF DISTRICT B, AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE.
AS YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITY FREQUENTLY FLOODS FROM, UH, SUFFERS FROM FLOODING BECAUSE A C SITS AT THE JUNCTION OF LOCAL BIAS DUE TO HIGH POVERTY LEVELS.
MANY OF MY NEIGHBOR NEIGHBORS LACK ADEQUATE INSURANCE COVERAGE AND FACE IMMER DIFFICULTY RECOVERING AFTER A DISASTER.
FOR INSTANCE, THE DRAINAGE DITCHES IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD ARE SHALLOW, AND THERE ARE NO DITCHES AT ALL ALONG LAS CRUCES AVENUE.
FURTHERMORE, DURING A CLEANUP DAY, THIS PAST MARCH, ORGANIZED BY NAC, THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE, MY NEIGHBORS AND I COLLECTED FURNITURE, DEBRIS, AND TRASH FROM THE ROADSIDES AND OUT OF THE DITCHES.
THIS SITUATION CAUSES SEVERE WATER ACCUMULATION AT THE INTERSECTION ALONG LAS CRUCES AS THE WATER CANNOT REACH THE BAYOU DURING RAINY DAYS LIKE THE ONES WE'VE EXPERIENCED RECENTLY.
THERE ARE TOO MANY PROBLEMS. AND TO ME, THE LOGICAL STEP IS TO INVEST MORE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
DON'T YOU ALL AGREE? SO WHY ARE WE FINDING OUT THAT YOU WANT TO CUT THE FUNDING NEEDED TO HIRE THE WORKERS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO FULFILL YOUR PROMISES TO PROTECT US? THIS IS WHY I AM HERE TO SAY THAT I SUPPORT AMENDMENT 4 0 2, WHICH WOULD HIRE THE NECESSARY WORKERS TO COMPLETE THIS PROJECTS EMPLOYING PEOPLE FROM OUR OWN COMMUNITY.
I ALSO SUPPORT AMENDMENT 4.01 TO HELP MANAGE THE CLEANUP OF EXISTING TRASH AND PREVENT FUTURE ACCUMULATION THAT COULD CLOG WATERWAYS AND CAUSE FLOODING.
I ASK YOU TODAY TO VOTE YES ON THESE AMENDMENTS SO THAT TOMORROW PEOPLE LIKE ME DO NOT HAVE TO LIVE IN TERROR EVERY TIME IT RAINS.
I WANT TO TELL THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCILS THAT, UH, FOR ANA TO FORGET ABOUT US THE NORTHEAST.
WE LIVE IN HIGH POVERTY RATES, AND YOU ALL NEED TO REMEMBER THE PROMISES YOU MADE US.
NEXT, ANITA GUEVARA TO BE FOLLOWED BY DOMINIQUE CHUCK HONE.
[01:20:05]
GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR WHITMEYER.MY NAME IS ANITA GAMARA, A RESIDENT OF LAKE LAKEWOOD AND A LONG TIME MEMBER OF NAC.
WE LIVED, WE LIVED WELL FROM MANY YEARS UNTIL HURRICANE HARVEY, AND UNTIL HURRICANE HARVEY'S HIT.
SINCE THEN, THE DRAINAGE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD HAS NOT BEEN KEPT UP.
DURING HARVEY, THE WATER WAS SO HIGH, WE WERE TRAPPED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAITING FOR HELP, AND THERE WAS NOTHING WE COULD DO EXCEPT WAIT UNTIL THE WATER CLEAR UP.
BUT EVEN TO THIS DAY, IT TAKES DAYS FOR WATER TO EVAPORATE BECAUSE IT HAS NOWHERE TO DRINK.
IN THE INTERSECTION OF MY STREET, COLETTE AND LAS CRUCES HAS HAPPENED.
EVERY RAIN THIS PAST WEEK, IT RAINED FOR DAYS, AND THE INTERSECTION WERE FULL OF WATER PREVENTABLE FLOODING LIKE THIS MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE FOR ELDERS LIKE MYSELF AND MY SON WHO IS BLIND.
THIS IS NOT JUST AN INCONVENIENCE, IT IS A THREAT TO OUR HEALTH BECAUSE IT CAN TAKE, IT CAN MAKE GETTING TO DIALYSIS AND TO THE DOCTORS VERY DIFFICULT.
WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN? THIS STREET'S NEAR ME HAVE NO DRAINAGE SYSTEM AT ALL BLOCKS AWAY.
THERE IS INLETS, BUT THEY'RE FULL OF TRASH AND MUD.
THE DITCHES EVERYWHERE ELSE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OR IN THE COMMUNITY ARE TOO SHALLOW AND TOO OVERGROWN WITH GRASS.
SOME OF THEM DO NOT EVEN LEAD WATER INTO THE BIO.
WE NEED INVESTMENT IN DRAINAGE SYSTEM, BUT ILLEGAL DUMPING MAKES IT WAY WORSE.
THERE'S HEAVY TRASH ALONG LAS CRUCES AVENUE AND EVEN MORE, AND GREEN RIVER ROAD THAT ENDS UP IN DITCHES.
CONTRACTORS WHO DO NOT CARE ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD KNOW WHEN NO ONE IS LOOKING.
NO ONE WILL HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
MY NEIGHBORS IN NAC DO THEIR BEST TO CLEAN UP AFTER THEM, BUT WE CANNOT KEEP UP WHAT I AM ASKING FOR.
I AM ASKING FOR SUPPORT FROM YOU ALL.
WE NEED DEDICATED FUNDS TO ADDRESS ILLEGAL DUMPING.
WE NEED YOU TO END THE HIRING FREEZE AND INVESTING WORKERS TO FINISH THE JOB.
I HAVE SEEN GOOD WORK YOU HAVE DONE ON HOMEWOOD AND WOODLAND TO LET THE WATER FLOW EASILY, BUT WE NEED YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
VOTE YES FOR AMENDMENT 4 0 1 AND 4 0 2.
THANK YOU FOR COMING IN AND, UM, SHARING YOUR TESTIMONY, MS. ANITA.
AND THANK YOU FOR COMING IN AND SHARING YOUR TESTIMONY.
SO WHAT I NEED FOR YOU TO DO, IF YOU SEE SOME ILLEGAL DUMPING OVER IN YOUR AREA, CAN YOU CONTACT 3 1 1 PLEASE AND THEN CONTACT OUR OFFICE.
YOU CAN EVEN TEXT US AND LET US KNOW.
WE HAVE A HOT TEAM THAT'S RUNNING THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT FIVE DAYS OUTTA THE WEEK, PICKING UP TIRES, PICKING UP ILLEGAL DUMPING.
THEY HELPING SENIORS CUT THEIR GRASS.
THEY'RE DOING A LOT OF GREAT WORK IN THE DISTRICT.
AND SO I WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
UM, AND JUST KNOW THAT THE FLOODING WE, I KNOW LAKEWOOD HAS SOME SERIOUS DRAINAGE ISSUES.
UM, AND SO I'LL BE FOLLOWING UP JUST TO MAKE SURE YOU GOT, YOU KNOW, EXACTLY WHAT PROJECTS ARE HAPPENING IN YOUR AREA AND WHEN THEY'RE GONNA HAPPEN.
SO JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW WE ARE WORKING ON IT.
IT DIDN'T GET THAT WAY OVERNIGHT, BUT WE'RE WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS TAKEN CARE OF AND, AND THE, THE, THERE'S MONEY IN THE BUDGET TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE ISSUES.
OKAY? BUT THANK YOU AGAIN FOR COMING IN.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU SHARING YOUR TESTIMONY.
CHUCK HOME, ELIZABETH LUMIA TO BE FOLLOWED BY STEPHANIE VALDEZ.
[01:25:01]
THE CO-DIRECTOR OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AT WEST STREET RECOVERY, AND I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE.AND I'M A RESIDENT DISTRICT C AND A COUNCIL MEMBER OF HANZA.
UM, I AM HERE TODAY BECAUSE THE WORKING CLASS HOUSTONIANS CANNOT AFFORD A NEW $5 MONTHLY TRASH FEE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE PROMISE THAT THE FEE WILL ONLY INCREASE.
PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE NOTICED, I DUNNO IF Y'ALL HAVE BEEN LISTENING.
LIFE IS NOT EASY FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE IN HOUSTON.
SNAP BENEFITS HAVE BEEN SLASHED AND OR ELIMINATED ENTIRELY.
UM, WHILE THE COST OF GAS, GROCERIES AND HOUSING CONTINUE TO SKYROCKET, WE'RE STILL THINKING ABOUT ADDING ON A $5 MONTHLY TRASH FEE.
YOU CANNOT ASK HOUSTON FAMILIES TO PAY A BUDGET GAP.
THEY DID NOT CREATE BEFORE MOVING TO HOUSTON.
I LIVED MY WHOLE LIFE AS A NEW YORKER.
SO LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON UP THERE.
JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, THE NYPD ANNOUNCED RECORD LOWS IN MAJOR CRIME, TRANSIT, CRIME, HOUSING AUTHORITY CRIMES, AMONG OTHER THINGS AS WELL, FOR THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR.
THAT'S NOT BECAUSE THEY INCREASED AN ALREADY INFLATED POLICE BUDGET OR BECAUSE THEY PUT THOUSANDS MORE OFFICERS ON THE STREETS.
THAT HAPPENED BY FUNDING CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, PUBLIC SERVICES, AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT SYSTEMS. WHEN YOU FUND PARKS, WHEN YOU FUND INFRASTRUCTURE, WHEN YOU FUND THE RESOURCES THAT PEOPLE NEED TO THRIVE, THEY DO.
OKAY, WELL ENOUGH ABOUT NEW YORK.
NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT HOUSTON COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M ASKING EACH OF YOU TO VOTE YES ON THE FOLLOWING THREE EVENT, FOLLOWING THREE AMENDMENTS, AMENDMENT 4.01 TO ALLOCATE 3 MILLION TO TACKLE THE ILLEGAL DUMPING, WHICH IS AN ISSUE THAT IMPACTS ALL DISTRICTS AS WELL AS AMENDMENT 4.02 TO INVEST 500,000, UM, TO HIRING PUBLIC WORK, PROJECT MANAGERS AND INSPECTORS SO WE CAN FINALLY FIX THE DRAINAGE PROBLEM PROBLEMS THAT ARE TEARING THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND LASTLY, AMENDMENT 1.5 TO IMPLEMENT ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES FOR THE 93 MILLION, THE $93 MILLION IN THIS CITY'S BUDGET THAT IS SPENT ON CORPORATE TAX ABATEMENTS INSTEAD OF SOCIAL SERVICES.
FINALLY, I URGE YOU ALL, ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO VOTE NO ON THE BUDGET.
WE MUST OPPOSE THIS INEQUITABLE TRASH FEE, STOP THE DEPLETION OF OUR, OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDS AND STOP CONTINUED OVERINVESTMENT IN POLICING.
THIS CURRENT BUDGET WILL MAKE LIFE HARDER FOR EVERYDAY HOUSTONIANS BY PASSING OUR REGRESSIVE FEE AND DRAINING MONEY FROM THE VERY WATER INFRASTRUCTURE THAT KEEPS HOUSTON HEALTHY AND SAFE.
NEXT, STEPHANIE VALDEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY ERIC GONZALEZ.
MY NAME'S STEPHANIE VALEZ AND I LEAD THE WATER JUSTICE PROGRAM WITH THE COALITION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT'S EQUITY AND RESILIENCE.
AND I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE.
FOR YEARS, HOUSTONIANS HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT DIFFICULT DECISIONS HAVE TO BE MADE, THAT THERE'S SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO FUND THE SERVICES THAT OUR COMMUNITIES NEED.
YET SOMEHOW, YEAR AFTER YEAR, WE CONTINUE TO FIND HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR POLICING.
WHILE THE DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING OUR CITY FUNCTIONING ARE ASKED TO DO MORE WITH LESS.
FOR EXAMPLE, LOOK AT THE LIBRARY.
THIS BUDGET CONTINUES THAT PATTERN.
IT IS A BUDGET THAT'S BALANCED ON THE BACKS OF WORKING PEOPLE.
IT ASKS RESIDENTS TO PAY MORE WHILE RECEIVING LESS.
IT SHIFTS, COSTS, DELAYS, INVESTMENTS, AND RELIES ON ACCOUNTING MANEUVERS.
INSTEAD OF ADDRESSING THE ROOT OF CAUSES OF HOUSTON'S FINANCIAL CHALLENGES, ONE OF THE MOST CONCERNING EXAMPLES IS THE DIVERSION OF WATER UTILITY FUNDS TO HELP OFFSET THE COST OF A NEW TRASH FEE.
WATER UTILITY DOLLARS SHOULD NOT, SHOULD BE USED FOR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE ONLY.
HOUSTON DOES NOT HAVE A SURPLUS WATER SYSTEM.
OUR CITY IS DEALING WITH AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, WATER MAIN BREAKS, SEWAGE OVERFLOWS, FLOODING, AND DECADES OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE.
RESIDENTS ACROSS HOUSTON HAVE REPEATEDLY RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT WATER QUALITY, RELIABILITY, AND AFFORDABILITY.
HISD SCHOOLS CONTINUE TO GRAPPLE WITH LEAD CONTAMINATION CONCERNS AND FAMILIES DESERVE CONFIDENCE THAT THE WATER COMING OUT OF THEIR TABS IS SAFE.
AT A TIME WHERE WE SHOULD BE MAKING HISTORIC IN INVEST INVESTMENTS IN OUR WATER SYSTEM.
THIS BUDGET MOVES US IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.
EVERY MAJOR STORM EXPOSES THE VULNERABILITIES IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE THAT NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE FLOODED MULTIPLE TIMES, ARE STILL WAITING FOR SOLUTIONS.
YOU ALL HAVE HEARD THEIR STORIES.
THEY'RE HERE WEEK AFTER WEEK, TAKING TIME OFF WORK, AND THEY'RE ALL URGING YOU TO LISTEN TO OUR NEEDS.
YET PUBLIC WORK REMAINS UNDERSTAFFED, UNDER RESOURCED, AND NO NOT PRIORITIZED.
THE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING OUR ROADS, DRAINAGE SYSTEMS, WATER LINES, WASTEWATER SYSTEMS, AND CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE ARE BEING ASKED TO DO MORE WITH FEWER RESOURCES.
WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO DEMAND FIRST CLASS
[01:30:01]
SERVICES FROM DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE OPERATING WITH A STAFF SHORTAGE.THE REALITY IS THAT INFRASTRUCTURE DOES NOT CARE ABOUT POLITICS.
WATER LINES WILL BREAK WHETHER WE FUND THEM OR NOT.
DRAINAGE SYSTEMS WILL FILL WHETHER WE INVEST THEM IN OR NOT.
FLOOD WATERS WILL CONTINUE TO RISE WHETHER WE PREPARE FOR THEM OR NOT.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU CAN'T SHOOT A FLOOD.
AT THE SAME TIME, LARGE CORPORATIONS CONTINUE RECEIVING TAX ABATEMENTS AND INCENTIVES WHILE RESIDENTS, RESIDENTS ARE TOLD TO TIGHTEN THEIR BELTS.
THIS IS NOT FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY OR A BALANCED BUDGET.
THIS IS NOT PUTTING HOUSTONIANS FIRST.
THE TRUTH IS THAT EVERY BUDGET IS A MORAL DOCUMENT.
IT TELLS US WHO MATTERS AND WHAT MATTERS.
AND THIS BUDGET TELLS US THAT WE CONTINUE FINDING MONEY FOR POLICING WHILE UNDER INVESTING IN WATER, DRAINAGE, PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES THAT IMPORT, THAT IMPROVE PEOPLE'S QUALITY OF LIFE.
MAYOR WHITMEYER, THIS WILL BECOME A PART OF YOUR LEGACY.
FOR THOSE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE NEARING THE END OF YOUR TERM, THIS BUDGET WILL ALSO BECOME A PART OF YOUR LEGACY.
AND FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WILL BE HERE LONG AFTER THIS VOTE, YOU WILL BE LEFT TO MANAGE THE CONSEQUENCES OF THESE DECISIONS.
REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE, ACCOUNT ACCOUNTABLE TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND HOUSTON DESERVES BETTER.
SIRI VIC TO BE FOLLOWED BY LARISSA JACOBS.
HELLO, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR.
I'M RESIDENT OF DISTRICT C AND I'M HERE AS ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE HOUSTON PEOPLE'S BUDGET.
I'M A PROFESSIONAL URBAN PLANNER AND I HAVE A DEGREE IN URBAN STUDIES AND URBAN PLANNING.
AS AN URBAN PLANNER, I'M DEEPLY FAMILIAR WITH HOW DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE IS IMPLICATED IN THE QUALITY OF PEOPLE'S LIVES.
INFRASTRUCTURE IMPACTS US ALL, WHETHER THROUGH THE DIRTY WATER THAT COMES THROUGH MY TAP, OR EVEN MORE DANGEROUSLY, THE OVERFLOWING DITCHES THAT ENTER YARDS AND HOMES IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON.
FOR YEARS, YOU HAVE HEARD FROM RESIDENTS WITH DECADES OF EXPERIENCE TRYING TO PROTECT THEMSELVES, THEIR FAMILIES, AND THEIR CHILDREN FROM TOXIC WATER DUE TO DRAINAGE ISSUES, UH, IN HOUSTON.
AND AS YOU KNOW, FUNDING INFRASTRUCTURE IS A KEY WAY TO ENSURE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH, WHICH IN TURN SUPPORTS A SAFE AND CONNECTED CITY.
IT IS A PREVENTATIVE MEASURE INSTEAD OF REACTIONARY.
AND EVERYONE DESERVES A BASELINE OF A SAFE, FUNCTIONING AND CLEAN CITY.
I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK YOU TO VOTE YES ON AMENDMENTS 1.05, 4.01 AND 4.02.
FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS RAMIREZ AND SALINAS.
THE MAYOR IS URGING THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO REMOVE THESE AMENDMENTS AND IMPEDE THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.
COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ AND COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS, WE URGE YOU TO STAND STRONG ON OUR BEHALF AND NOT WITHDRAW THESE AMENDMENTS.
FIRST, WE NEED TO REINVEST IN HIRING IN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND KEEP THAT DEPARTMENT ACCOUNTABLE TO ITS PROMISES THROUGH THESE MEASURES.
WE IMPLEMENT ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES FOR THE $93 MILLION SPENT ON CORPORATE INTERESTS INSTEAD OF SOCIAL SERVICES.
YET ALL OF THIS COMES AT THE COST OF A BUDGET THAT TURNS US BACK ON ITS CITIZENS.
I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS TO VOTE NOW ON THIS BUDGET.
OPPOSE THE INEQUITABLE AND BURDENING TRASH FEE, THE DEPLETION OF INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDS AND THE CONTINUED OVERINVESTMENT IN POLICING.
A CITY SHOULD TAKE CARE OF ITS PEOPLE FIRST AND FOREMOST.
AND A CITY'S BUDGET IS A REFLECTION OF ITS COMMITMENT TO DOING SO.
I'VE HEARD THAT THIS CITY PRIDES ITSELF ON AFFORDABILITY.
AND YES, THAT IS, UH, PART OF THE REASON WHY I MOVED HERE.
YET THE APPROVALS OF LAST YEAR'S BUDGET AND THIS YEAR'S BUDGET SHOWS THAT AFFORDABILITY IS NO LONGER A PRIORITY, WHICH MANY IN THIS COUNCIL RAN THEIR CAMPAIGNS ON.
AND THIS IS A CHANGE DEMONSTRATED IN MY OWN LIVED EXPERIENCE.
THIS BUDGET PORTRAYS YOUR PRIORITIES AND THE MOST VULNERABLE POP POPULATIONS YOU REPRESENT.
AND THE PEOPLE DO NOT BELIEVE THIS BUDGET STANDS FOR THEM.
SO YOU HAVE THE POWER TO SERVE THE PEOPLE, AND I'M SURE YOU'RE READY TO TAKE A STAND TO DO SO.
COUNCILOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TO SPEAK.
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR ADVOCACY.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY ONE THING.
YOU SAID THE ADMINISTRATION IS NOT OPPOSED TO MY AMENDMENTS AND HAS ACTUALLY BEEN QUITE SUPPORTIVE OF PROVIDING ADDITIONAL FUNDING TOWARDS ILLEGAL DUMPING, UM, AND COMBATING IT.
WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT PUSHING FORWARD ON THAT AMENDMENT.
NEXT, LARISSA JACOBS TO BE FOLLOWED BY TERRY SMITH.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
[01:35:01]
UM, I'M LARISSA JACOBS.WE'RE A NONPROFIT SERVING THE HEALTH OF COMMUNITIES.
WE NOW HAVE ABOUT 20 WALKING GROUPS, ACTUALLY A FEW MORE.
UM, OUR GROUPS, UH, COMBAT CHRONIC DISEASES AND LONELINESS, SOCIAL ISOLATION BY BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO WALK AND ACTIVATE PUBLIC SPACES, COMMUNITIES, NEIGHBORHOODS.
MANY OF YOU HAVE WALKED WITH US AND WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL.
UM, WE DO WHAT WE DO BECAUSE THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL SAYS THAT WALKING IS THE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OF CHOICE TO REDUCE OR PREVENT CHRONIC DISEASE.
UM, IT'S ALSO A WAY TO, UH, BRING COMMUNITIES TOGETHER.
MANY TIMES, UM, THE DOCTORS ARE SENDING PEOPLE TO WALK WITH US.
WE EVEN TAKE REFERRALS FROM MEMORIAL HERMANN THROUGH WALK PRESCRIPTION.
NOW, UM, MANY OF OUR WALKERS ARE SENIORS.
THEY NEED TO GET OUTSIDE AND INCREASE THEIR VITAMIN D, WHICH IS AN EPIDEMIC AMONG THAT POPULATION.
AND MANY OF US ACTUALLY, UM, WE ALL NEED TO GET OUR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, BUT IT'S VERY, VERY HARD WITH THE STRAY DOGS AND THE LOOSE DOGS THAT I SEE EVERY TIME I VISIT ONE OF OUR WALKING GROUPS.
IT'S ACTUALLY PRETTY TERRIFYING.
UM, I HAVE HAD TO TURN AROUND.
WE HAVE ABOUT 92, UH, REGISTERED WALKERS, FOR EXAMPLE, AT DENVER HARBOR.
YOU HAVE BRAND NEW SIDEWALKS THERE WHERE WE WALK.
BUT, UM, THEY'VE BEEN TELLING ME THEY DON'T WANT TO GO OUTSIDE OFTEN BECAUSE I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M SAYING THIS, BUT THEY'RE TELLING ME THEY'VE BEEN BITTEN.
UM, WHICH THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME I'D, I'D HEARD THAT THEY'D ACTUALLY BEEN BITTEN BY BY LOOSE DOGS.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I SEE THIS IN ALL NEIGHBORHOODS, NOT JUST IN THE EAST PART OF HOUSTON.
SO WE REALLY SUPPORT THE INVESTMENT IN BARK.
WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOME KIND OF SOLUTION, UM, SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO BE IN, I CALL IT CROUCHING DEFENSIVE POSE WHEN YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO GET HEALTHY.
SO ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT INVESTMENT HAPPENS, UM, WE WOULD BE IN SUPPORT OF IT.
WE JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO WALK AND BE HEALTHY.
WALKING IS FREE AND IT'S A LOT CHEAPER THAN INSULIN, UM, OR OTHER TREATMENT FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND, UH, METABOLIC SYNDROME.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, RAMIREZ.
YEAH, THANK YOU, UH, LARISSA, ALWAYS GOOD, GOOD TO SEE YOU DOWN HERE.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO AT FIT HOUSTON.
AS YOU MAY KNOW, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO HAS OFFERED A, A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO ADD SOME FUNDING TO BARK.
AND, AND, UH, I'M GRATEFUL THAT HE'S DONE THAT AND I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THAT BECAUSE THE ISSUE YOU BRING UP IS AN IMPORTANT ONE.
WE HEAR FROM PEOPLE ALL OVER THE CITY ABOUT, UH, DANGEROUS AND SCARY ENCOUNTERS WITH DOGS.
AND, UM, YOUR WALKERS DESERVE TO BE ABLE TO, TO ENJOY THAT, UH, FREE OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE FEAR OF BEING BITTEN BY BY A DOG.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, AND NOT TO DETRACT FROM YOUR MESSAGE WAS, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT ONE.
I DO WANNA NOTE THAT YOU ARE ALSO HERE AS A PROUD MOM.
TRUDY, WOULD YOU STAND UP?
IS THE NEWEST MEMBER OF MY STAFF.
SO PROUD TO HAVE HER ON STAFF.
SHE WAS AN INTERN LAST SUMMER, DID A GREAT JOB AND RECENTLY GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.
HOOK 'EM HORNS, AND WE'RE JUST GRATEFUL TO HAVE HER.
SHE LOVES WORKING HERE AND SHE BELIEVES IN THE CITY AND I DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK FOR HER, BUT WE BOTH DO.
UM, I SHOULD ALSO SAY WE HAVE DONE YOGA OUTSIDE AND HAVE PIT BULLS WEAVING THROUGH OUR YOGA MATS.
UH, SO WE'RE JUST FORTUNATE NOTHING'S HAPPENED YET, BUT, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
TERRY SMITH, KENDRA LONDON TO BE FOLLOWED BY E SOSA, SIR.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR AND TO COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, AS WELL AS YOUR CHIEF OF STAFF, MS. MARY MORENO, FOR YOUR SWIFT AND YOUR SWIFT RESPONSE AND PROFESSIONALISM TO THE RESIDENTS OF CLEMENTA.
BUT I WANTED TO KNOW, DID YOU ALL KNOW I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE RESIDENTS.
THE RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN TAKEN OFF THE SPEAKING MINUTES FOR TODAY.
WERE YOU AWARE OF THAT? YEAH, SHE'S, THEY'RE, SHE'S HERE, BUT HER NAME WAS REMOVED WHEN I VISITED HER APARTMENT YESTERDAY.
SHE SIGNED UP ON MY PHONE TO SPEAK AND HER NAME IS NOT ON HERE, SO I SHOULDN'T BE SPEAKING FOR HER.
SHE SHOULD HAVE TIME TO SPEAK FOR HERSELF.
BUT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ IS WHO I WAS COMING TO SPEAK TO THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE.
HE ASKED ME ABOUT CLEM MANOR RESIDENCE.
[01:40:01]
THE HARSH CONDITIONS THAT NHPF, UM, NHP FOUNDATION HAS THE RESIDENTS LIVING IN THE RESIDENT NHPL FOUNDATION HAS NOT BEEN HELD ACCOUNTABLE SINCE 2020 FOR SEWER DAMAGE.THE SAME CONCERN THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING OVER SIX CONSECUTIVE YEARS FOR THE SAME BUILDING.
NOT DIFFERENT BUILDINGS, THE SAME EXACT BUILDING.
THE YOUNG LADY WHO IS HERE TO SPEAK FOR HERSELF HAS, UM, BEEN GOING THROUGH THIS SINCE 2019.
SHE'S NAVIGATED THROUGH THE HARDSHIPS.
I SAY SHE'S BEEN INSULTED BY THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT HAS BEEN OFFERED TO HER.
I USED TO HAVE MY NONPROFIT INSIDE OF CLEMEN MANOR APARTMENT COMPLEX, SO I UNDERSTAND THE INSIDE OF THE OFFICE.
I USED TO BE ON HOUSING MYSELF.
I USED TO BE ON SECTION EIGHT.
AND THEN I, I, UM, GAINED STABILITY TO GET OFF.
SO NOW I UNDERSTAND BOTH SIDES.
THE NHPF GAVE ME $300 AND TWO $50 GIFT CARDS TO ISSUE TO FOUR DIFFERENT UNITS AS A, AS A, UM, A FIX.
SINCE THIS YOUNG LADY HAS BEEN GOING THROUGH THIS, NOT ONE THING HAS BEEN RESOLVED.
SHE'S BOUGHT HER OWN EQUIPMENT TO FIX THE SEWER DAMAGE.
NO ONE WOULD WOULD WANT TO LIVE TWO HOURS IN WHAT SHE'S NAVIGATING THROUGH WITH DISABLED CHILDREN.
THERE WAS FECES COMING UP THROUGH HER BATHROOM SINK ON YESTERDAY.
THERE WAS WATER COMING FROM THE WALL GOING THROUGH THE HALLWAY.
EVER SINCE SHE PUT THAT CONCERN IN, NOT ONE MAINTENANCE ORDER HAS BEEN DONE.
I WANT TO KNOW THIS NEW PROGRAM THAT THE CITY CREATED THAT IS GOING FOR THE SLUMLORDS.
WHY ARE WE STILL ALLOWING PRIVATE DEVELOPERS TO COME IN WITH THEIR OWN NONPROFIT? THAT NONPROFIT DOES NOT DO A QUALITY ASSURANCE FOR THE RESIDENT.
IT ONLY COMES, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED OF THE DEVELOPER, AND NOBODY IS HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR ALL OF THE HARSH FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS THAT THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
SHE CAN'T EVEN TURN HER LIGHTS OFF HER, HER AIR OFF BECAUSE OF THE SMELL OF MOLD THAT WILL, THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH FOR HER CHILDREN.
THEY WOULD HAVE TO CONSUME THIS.
AND NOBODY'S PUTTING THERE, PUTTING ANY PRESSURE ON NHP.
AND IT'S NOT LIKE I'M AGAINST DEVELOPERS.
I'M AGAINST THE INJUSTICE THAT GOES ON FOR THE RESIDENTS WHO TAKES UP FOR THE PEOPLE.
UM, MAYOR, THANK YOU KENDRA, FOR JUST YOUR ADVOCACY.
YOU ALWAYS ADVOCATING FOR THE FOLKS IN DISTRICT B, UM, IN, IN PARTICULARLY CLEMEN MANOR APARTMENT COMPLEXES IN THEIR AREA.
UM, I WAS UNDER THIS IMPRESSION THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UM, HAD WENT OUT FROM THE PREVIOUS REQUEST.
I KNOW IT WAS A REQUEST TWO WEEKS AGO.
UM, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THEY WENT OUT.
BUT I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THEN WE'LL COME OUT AND DO AN INSPECTION, UM, OF, YOU KNOW, THE AREA.
THE, THE, I GUESS IT'S THE BUILDING THAT SHE LIVES IN.
UM, BUT OF THE OTHER, AND IT'S NOT JUST HER, IT'S ALL FOUR UNITS, RIGHT? MM-HMM
SO ONE OF MY BIGGEST CONCERNS IS THE RESIDENTS WILL COME TO ME AND TELL ME THE HARASSMENT THAT THEY EXPERIENCED AFTER THEY SAY WHAT'S GOING ON IN THEIR APARTMENT.
THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THESE LETTERS OF BACK PAY THAT THEY OWE COME UP.
ALL OF THESE LETTERS OF 24 HOUR INSPECTION IS, IS NOW DUE.
AFTER THEY TELL YOU THAT THEY SIMPLY WANT STANDARD LIVING CONDITIONS, WHO IS GOING TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE? AND THE REASON WHY I WAS ASKING MR. MAR, UH, RAMIREZ, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ, THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE, HE ASKED ME EVERYTHING THAT WAS GOING ON WITH NHPF.
THEY HAD PEOPLE COMING IN THERE AND I ASKED THEM NOT TO COME IN THERE WITH CITY OF HOUSTON CHURCH ON SO THEY COULD BUILD TRUE RAPPORT WITH THE RESIDENTS.
AND I SAT THERE FOR FREE AND CONSULTANT.
AND THEN IT'S STILL THE SAME THING WITH THE SAME PEOPLE.
AND I WATCHED THE FRONT OFFICE, WHO IS OWNED BY THE DEVELOPERS.
THAT COMPANY IS HIRED BY THE DEVELOPERS ALSO TO SAY, ALWAYS INCOME TEXTILE.
WATCH 'EM BY ALL THIS NEW FURNITURE.
THEY'RE NOT BUYING NEW FURNITURE 'CAUSE THEY WANT TO, THEY'RE BUYING NEW FURNITURE BECAUSE IT'S BED, IT'S, UM, BED BUGS.
IT'S IN IT'S INFESTED WITH BED BUGS AND ROACHES, MA'AM.
SO THEY DON'T WANNA SPEND THEIR MONEY LIKE THAT.
MA'AM, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
WILL YOU TALK TO REBECCA WILLIAMS AND LET HER, OKAY.
[01:45:02]
TO BE FOLLOWED BY TERRY BLANTON OF MISSOURI CITY.GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR WHITMORE AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
ONE IN 10 WOMEN HAVE ENDOMETRIOSIS.
ONE IN 10 HAVE PCOS AND EIGHT OUTTA 10 BLACK WOMEN WILL HAVE FIBROIDS BY THE AGE OF 50.
AND WHEN WOMEN ARE DEALING WITH THESE DEBILITATED, HORMONAL AND HORRIBLE PERIOD PROBLEMS, THEY GO TO THEIR MEDICAL DOCTORS AND THEY'RE OFTEN OFFERED BIRTH CONTROL OR SURGERY, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY DOESN'T ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSE AND OFTEN LEADS TO REPEAT PROCEDURES AND IN SOME CASES, DELAYED FERTILITY.
I'M A CERTIFIED NUTRITION SPECIALIST, BOARD CERTIFIED COACH, AND THE FOUNDER OF STAYING AGELESS COACHING.
AND FOR THE PAST SIX, GOING ON SEVEN YEARS, I'VE BEEN HELPING WOMEN REVERSE SYMPTOMS OF HORMONAL IMBALANCE, NATURALLY USING SIMPLE DIET SUPPLEMENTS AND LIFESTYLE RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND, UM, BECAUSE WE'RE VIRTUAL, WE SERVICE WOMEN ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND ALL OVER THE WORLD, WE HAVE AN 83% SUCCESS RATE.
SOME EXAMPLES, MY CLIENT CHANEL, WHO WAS BLEEDING FOR OVER A YEAR STRAIGHT, SHE WENT TO MULTIPLE OBGYNS, COULD NOT FIND RELIEF.
SHE JOINED OUR PROGRAM AND HER PERIOD NORMALIZED IN THREE WEEKS.
OR MY CLIENT, CHEATY, WHO WAS SENT BY HER OB, GYN, SHE HAD A OVARIAN CYST, FIBROIDS, 40 POUNDS OVERWEIGHT.
UM, SHE HAD HORRIBLE ACNE AND SHE WAS ON 15 MEDICATIONS AT THE END OF OUR PROGRAM.
SHE HAD GONE DOWN TO ONE MEDICATION, HER SKIN HAD CLEARED, AND HER FINAL ULTRASOUND SHOWED THAT SHE HAD NO, UM, CYSTS ON HER OVARIES, ONE REMAINING FIBROID.
AND SHE ALSO LOST 40 POUNDS, UM, FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW.
UH, WE'RE HOSTING OUR WOMB WELLNESS WORKSHOP AT THE SAID INSTITUTE IN HOUSTON.
AND, UM, I'M DOING THIS IN TANDEM WITH TWO OTHER WOMEN LED BUSINESSES.
UH, UM, SAGE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, WHICH IS LED BY A LICENSED PSYCHOLOGIST, FULL CIRCLE FAMILY SERVICES, WHICH IS A MIDWIFERY PRACTICE.
AND WE'RE BASICALLY GOING TO BE TEACHING WOMEN THE HISTORY BEHIND HORMONAL HEALTHCARE, UM, THINGS ABOUT THEIR HORMONES, HELPING THEM UNDERSTAND HOW TO DEAL WITH THINGS HOLISTICALLY, AND OFFERING A Q AND A FOR THEM TO GET THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
UH, SO WE WOULD LOVE AND WOULD BE HONORED TO HAVE YOU ALL THERE.
UM, WHETHER YOU CAN JOIN OR SEND A REPRESENTATIVE OR JUST GET THE WORD OUT TO YOUR DISTRICTS WOULD BE REALLY APPRECIATIVE, UM, BECAUSE YOUR PRESENCE WOULD REALLY TELL US THAT WOMEN'S HEALTH REALLY DOES MATTER.
AND I'M ALSO CURRENTLY BUILDING THE TECHNOLOGY TO BUILD, TO BRING THIS KIND OF HORMONAL HEALTHCARE TO WOMEN AT SCALE, ESPECIALLY HOLISTIC.
AND SO IF THERE'S ANY INITIATIVES IN THE CITY THAT CONNECTS TO WORK HAPPENING, I WOULD ALSO LOVE TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TODAY.
JUST A SECOND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KASICK STADIUM.
THANK YOU, MAYOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
UM, WHAT YOU SAID DEFINITELY RESONATES WITH ME.
UM, I THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT, UM, SO MANY WOMEN SUFFER THROUGH THEIR HORMONAL CHALLENGES IN SILENCE, AND WE CAN DEFINITELY AMPLIFY THAT MESSAGE.
UH, IF YOU COULD, UH, SHARE THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE EVENT, I'M HAPPY TO SHARE THAT WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS, UM, IN HOPES THAT WE CAN REACH, UH, ANY OTHER WOMEN THAT MAY BE SUFFERING AND, AND LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP, UM, TO CLEAR UP SOME OF THESE CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS THAT THEY MAY HAVE ABOUT THEIR HEALTH.
IF YOU CAN EMAIL OUR OFFICES, THAT WOULD BE EXTREMELY HELPFUL.
IF YOU SEND IT TO ME, I'LL SEND IT OUT TO THE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO ALL OF OUR EMAILS, BUT IT, IT'S ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
IT'S, IF IT'S EASIER THAT WAY, I HAVE, I HAVE A CARD COPY OF A FLYER SO I CAN OKAY.
HE, HE CAN GIVE IT TO US, BUT, AND I'LL SEND YOU AN EMAIL AS WELL TOO.
NEXT, TERRY BLANTON, A MISSOURI CITY TO BE FOLLOWED BY GABRIEL PATIN.
I AM MOST GRATEFUL FOR BEING HERE.
LESS THAN A WEEK AGO, I WAS IN ICU, I HAD A HEART ATTACK.
MY BLOOD PRESSURE WENT OVER 240.
BUT I AM HERE TODAY BECAUSE I'M HERE FOR A CAUSE.
I AM THE CEO, I HAVE A PRODUCTION COMPANY.
BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TEAM SCENE.
AS YOU CAN SEE OUR T-SHIRTS, THESE ARE NOT JUST T-SHIRTS, GUYS, I HAD ALL OF THIS MEMORIZED, BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER ALL OF THIS.
SO I'M GONNA JUST GO, WHAT I KNOW, WHEN I LOOK AROUND AND I SEE THE PEOPLE ARE THE CITY, I THINK ABOUT OUR KIDS BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT OUR TEENAGERS ARE OUR FUTURE.
RIGHT NOW, THE TEENAGERS ARE GETTING A BAD RAP IN THE MEDIA.
BUT I'M HERE TODAY TO SHOW YOU THAT THERE ARE GREAT KIDS OUT HERE.
I BROUGHT HER HERE JUST TO SHOW YOU ALL THIS WHILE
[01:50:01]
WE WERE SITTING HERE LISTENING TO EVERYBODY, THIS IS WHAT SHE DID.NOT RIGHT NOW, YOU GUYS, YOU DIDN'T DO THIS RIGHT NOW,
SO WHAT I'M TRYING, WHAT WHAT WE ARE DOING WITH TEAM SCENE, WHAT I AM ASKING THE CITY TO DO IS TO INVEST IN OUR TEAMS. THERE ARE POSITIVE TEAMS OUT THERE THAT ARE DOING GREAT THINGS.
I STEPPED UP TO THE, UH, TO THE PLATE TO SAY THAT I AM WILLING TO MENTOR.
I HAVE TEACHERS OUT HERE, AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY WENT TO PUT MONEY IN THE METER.
I THINK THEY THOUGHT THEY HAD TO PUT MONEY IN THE METER.
BUT WE HAVE MENTORS OUT THERE, BUSINESS OWNERS, PEOPLE THAT HAVE STEPPED UP.
WE NEED TO COME BACK AND INVEST IN OUR, IN OUR KIDS.
NOT ALL OF OUR TEENAGERS ARE NEGATIVE.
THERE ARE POSITIVE TEENAGERS THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT'S DOING POSITIVE THINGS.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT.
THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO BE INVESTING IN.
WHAT WE PLAN TO DO IS TO, UH, SHOW THEM JUST LIKE HER ENTREPRENEURSHIP.
AND, AND AS TEENAGERS, IT'S SUMMERTIME.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS TO GET INTO.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR TEAMS ARE GETTING INTO SOMETHING POSITIVE.
BACK IN THE DAY, I WENT TO BOROUGH AND WATER WORLD.
THEY DON'T HAVE BOROUGH AND WATER WORLD ANYMORE.
WE HAVE ALL OF THESE BUILDINGS THAT ARE OUT HERE THAT ARE JUST SITTING IDLE.
WHAT I'M COMING TO YOU TODAY TO ASK YOU IS THAT IF YOU GIVE ME THE CHANCE AND THE OPPORTUNITY THAT I WILL FILL THOSE BUILDINGS WITH SOMETHING POSITIVE, I WILL FIELD IT WITH KIDS.
AND I'M SORRY YOU GUYS, I'M A LITTLE EMOTIONAL.
I WILL FILL IT WITH KIDS AND TEENAGERS THAT ARE DOING SOMETHING WITH THEIR LIVES.
I HAVE A 16-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER AND I ALSO WORK AT THE AIRPORT.
UM, I ALSO DID A, UM, ME AND SYLVESTER TURNER WAS FRIENDS AS WELL.
I DID A, A COMMERCIAL WITH HIM.
YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED WITH HIM, WITH HIM, WITH HIM AS WITH HIM AS WELL.
UM, SO WHERE I WAS AT WORK ONE DAY, I ASKED ONE OF THE KIDS THAT WAS FLYING OUT TO PUERTO RICO, I ASKED HIM, I SAID, WHY ARE THESE KIDS DOING THIS, THIS TAKEOVER THING? WHAT IS THIS ABOUT? HE SAID, MS. TERRY, THIS JUST LIKE THE ADULTS ARE LISTENING WITH NO EARS.
AND I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANT UNTIL I WALKED AWAY.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
UM, AND I DO WANNA LET YOU KNOW, UM, MANY OF OUR OFFICES SUPPORT THE CASE FOR KIDS PROGRAM THROUGH HARRIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
UM, THOSE ARE GRANTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR ORGANIZATIONS TO APPLY FOR.
IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH IT.
UM, I WOULD HIGHLY SUGGEST MAYBE THAT WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SUPPORT PROGRAMS FOR OUR TEENS.
AND YOU CAN FIND IT ON THE HARRIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WEBSITE.
THEY DO A COUPLE OF CYCLES OF GRANT FUNDING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AND IT'S ALSO AVAILABLE FOR SUMMER FUNDING.
SO, UM, PLEASE, UH, LOOK AT THAT OPPORTUNITY AS WELL.
AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING, UM, HER, HER CRAFT WITH US.
UM, I TOO WENT TO ASTROWORLD AND WATER WORLD
UM, MY FIRST JOB WAS AT ASTROWORLD.
SO I, THE, THE YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY ARE DEFINITELY MISSING OUT ON THE FUN THAT WE DID HAVE GROWING UP.
SO THANK YOU FOR CARING ABOUT OUR YOUTH AND OUR TEENS AND WE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
GOVERNMENT CAN'T DO THIS WORK ALONE.
AND WE NEED PEOPLE LIKE YOU TO HELP US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE RAISING, UM, GREAT, GREAT, UM, BOYS AND GIRLS TO BE PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS IN OUR GREAT CITY.
TO BE FOLLOWED BY MATTHEW RANKIN.
GOOD AFTERNOON, HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR AND ALL THE GOOD FRIENDS AND GOOD PEOPLE OF HOUSTON.
UM, I STAND HERE TODAY BECAUSE I AM A PROUD HOUSTONIAN AND I'M ALWAYS COMING UP WITH THINGS THAT I THINK
[01:55:01]
CAN MAKE HOUSTON A LITTLE BIT BETTER AND TO APPRECIATE, UH, YOUR SERVICE.SO, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR WHI MEYER, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, DISTINGUISHED GUEST AND FELLOW CITIZENS.
I'M PUBLISHER OF THE HOUSTON SUN NEWSPAPER AND PRESIDENT OF THE HOUSTON SUN FOUNDATION.
WE ARE A NEWSPAPER WHO HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 1983 AND WE ARE STILL HERE AND EXCITED ABOUT OUR OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THAT FIRST AMENDMENT THAT GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE IN THIS SETTING TODAY TO TALK TO EACH OTHER 161 YEARS AFTER FREEDOM FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME A FEW MOMENTS TO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT 2026 JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION AND ASKING YOU TO HELP AMPLIFY WHAT FREEDOM MEANS BECAUSE OUR CURRENT PRESIDENT SAYS THAT WE DON'T NEED JUNETEENTH.
AND SO WE NEED AMPLIFICATION FROM THOSE WHO ARE ELECTED.
AND WE NEED TO HONOR THE LEGACY OF FREEDOM, UNITY, AND PROGRESS.
JUNETEENTH MARKS TODAY WHEN ENSLAVED AFRICANS IN TEXAS FINALLY LEARNED OF THEIR FREEDOM.
IT IS A CELEBRATION OF LIBERATION, RESILIENCE, AND HOPE.
AND A REMINDER THAT FREEDOM MUST BE PROTECTED BY ALL OF US AND PASSED ON TO FUTURE GENERATIONS.
THE HOUSTON SUN FOUNDATION HAS ALREADY BEGUN ITS JUNETEENTH ACTIVITIES.
WE HAVE CROWNED OUR MISS JUNETEENTH QUEENS AND WE HOPE TO BRING THEM HERE NEXT WEEK.
WE HAVE AWARDED OUR ESSAY CONTEST WINNERS WHO TALKED ABOUT IS JUNETEENTH REALLY NECESSARY.
AND THE YOUNG PEOPLE WERE VITAL IN AND VIVID IN THEIR DISCUSSION.
AND WE SUCCESSFULLY HOSTED THE LIONEL X ROBINSON TALENT SHOW.
WE ARE ESPECIALLY PROUD OF OUR FIRST PLACE WINNER, MR. MR. RASHAD WILLIAMS, WHO WILL REFLECT WHAT HE SAID DURING THE TIME.
MY NAME IS RASHAD WILLIAMS AND TODAY I'LL BE RECITING FOR YOU A POEM BY I'LL BE RECITING FOR YOU, THE BLACK FAMILY PLEDGE BY MAYA ANGEL.
BECAUSE WE HAVE FORGOTTEN OUR ANCESTORS, OUR CHILDREN WILL NO LONGER GIVE US HONOR BECAUSE WE HAVE LOST THE PATH OUR ANCESTORS CLEARED, KNEELING AND PERES UNDERGROWTH.
OUR CHILDREN CANNOT FIND THEIR WAY BECAUSE WE HAVE BANISHED THE GOD OF OUR ANCESTORS.
OUR CHILDREN CANNOT PRAY BECAUSE THE OLD WHALES OF OUR ANCESTORS HAVE FADED BEYOND OUR HEARING.
OUR CHILDREN CANNOT KIRA'S CRYING BECAUSE WE HAVE ABANDONED OUR WISDOM OF MOTHERING AND FATHERING OUR BE OUR BE CHILDREN.
GIVE BIRTH TO CHILDREN THEY NEITHER WANT NOR UNDERSTAND BECAUSE WE HAVE FORGOTTEN HOW TO LOVE THE ADV.
THE ADVERSARY IS WITHIN OUR GATES AND HOLDS US UP IN THE MIRROR OF THE WORLD SHOUTING REGARD THE LOVELESS.
THEREFORE, WE PLEDGE TO BIND OURSELVES TO ONE ANOTHER, TO EMBRACE OUR LOWIES, TO KEEP COMPANY TO OUR LOWIES, TO EDUCATE OUR ILLITERATE TO TO CLOTHE OUR RAGE, TO FEED OUR STARVING, KNOWING THAT WE ARE MORE THAN JUST BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
WE ARE OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN HONOR OF THOSE WHO TOILED AND IMPLORED GOD WITH THEIR GOLDEN TONGUES AND GRATITUDE OF THE SAME GOD WHO BROUGHT US OUT OF HOPELESSNESS AND DESOLATION.
THE BEFORE BEING SPOKE ABOUT YOUTH THAT WE START OUR JUNETEENTH WITH YOUTH PROGRAMS. AND WE WANT THE YOUTH OF THIS CITY TO BE READY TO TAKE YOUR SEATS AND OTHER SEATS IN THIS NATION.
WE HAVE THINGS GOING ON PARADE.
JOIN THE PARADE ON SATURDAY, IT'S FREE.
MS. ROBINSON, THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY AND AMPLIFYING, UH, JUNETEENTH.
AND, UM, DO WANT TO SAY, UM, WE ARE GLAD THAT YOU BROUGHT THIS YOUNG MAN, UM, TO READ HIS POEM.
UH, AND WE WOULD CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOUR EFFORTS
[02:00:01]
IN THE EFFORTS OF AMPLIFYING THE IMPORTANCE OF JUNETEENTH AND, AND SUPPORTING OUR YOUTH AND MAKING SURE THEY UNDERSTAND OUR HISTORY.SO CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND WE APPRECIATE YOU SHARING YOUR TALENTS WITH US TODAY.
WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING THERE.
MAY I PASS OUT THIS CAN TAKE? SURE.
GIVE THAT GENTLEMEN COUNCILOR EVAN SHAVA.
AND MR. WILLIAMS, YOU DID THAT.
I'M SO VERY, VERY PROUD OF YOU.
YOU'RE STANDING THERE WITH A LEGEND RIGHT THERE, RIGHT THERE NEXT TO YOU.
AND SO CERTAINLY I WILL, UH, BE HONORED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PARADE AND CERTAINLY TO, UH, SPONSOR THE, THE, UH, ENTOURAGE OF ROYALTY THAT WILL BLESS US ON NEXT WEEK.
AND SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO.
UH, PEOPLE SPEAK OF YOU SO FONDLY AND I PERSONALLY APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU HAVE POURED INTO ME AS WELL.
I JUST WANT TO, UH, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR EFFORTS AND LEADERSHIP.
NOT ONLY THIS YEAR, BUT IN ALL YEARS.
UH, THE INFORMATION AND THE NEWS THAT YOU PUT OUT TO OUR COMMUNITIES IS VITAL.
UH, THE FRIENDSHIP YOU HAD WITH MY MOTHER, UM, ALL OF IT IS VERY MEANINGFUL.
AND SO FOR YOUR MENTORSHIP OF THE YOUTH AND YOUR CONTINUED EFFORTS TO AMPLIFY OUR COMMUNITY, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS.
I'LL BE OUTTA TOWN THIS WEEKEND, BUT UH, I'LL BE THERE IN SPIRIT.
YOU KNOW, WE LIVE ON THE SIGN.
IT SAYS THE PEOPLE ARE THE CITY AND I'M JUST ONE OF THE PEOPLE.
MATTHEW RANKIN OF CORP CORPUS CHRISTI TO BE FOLLOWED BY ROCKY JACKSON.
HEY, MATTHEW RANKIN, BLATANTLY ARMED MEDIA.
AND TODAY, I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT I'M THE FIRST CITIZEN TO OPEN CARRY TO A COUNCIL MEETING HERE, UH, UNTIL HALF AN HOUR AGO.
I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS GONNA HAPPEN, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S HAPPENED.
UM, JUST SO YOU KNOW, ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO, STATE LEGISLATURE PASSED A NEW LAW.
NORMALLY OPEN MEETINGS ARE A PROHIBITED PLACE, BUT THEY ADDED, ADDED AN EXCEPTION.
ANYBODY WITH A CARRY LICENSE CAN CARRY THEIR HANDGUN INTO THE MEETINGS.
THAT APPLIES STATEWIDE TO EVERY MEETING HELD UNDER THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
IT'S A LITTLE FOUR YEARS LATE, BUT A COUPLE OTHER CITIES ARE DOING THE SAME THING FOUR YEARS LATE.
SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE AN OKAY COMPANY NOW AND IT DIDN'T TAKE GIVING YOU AN AG LETTER TO GET IT DONE.
UH, WHAT'LL BE HANDED OUT TO YOU GUYS, BUT YOU DON'T NEED THAT ANYMORE 'CAUSE YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET ONE.
UH, WE STILL GOT A LITTLE BIT TO WORK ON BECAUSE YOU GUYS HAVE KNIVES BANNED FOR THE BUILDING AND YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
SO PENAL CODE 2 29 0.001 IS THE STATE PREEMPTION LAW.
IT DOESN'T ALLOW YOU TO MAKE ANY, UM, ORDINANCE RULE POLICY MORE STRICT THAN THE STATE LAW INVOLVING ANY KIND OF FIREARMS OR ANY KIND OF KNIVES.
AND THE ONLY THING IN STATE LAW IS THAT KNIVES OVER FIVE AND A HALF INCHES ARE BANNED IN THE PORT PROHIBITED PLACES LIST.
SO FOR THIS BUILDING, YOU CAN'T BIN, YOU CAN'T BAN, UH, KNIVES, CAN'T DO SWORDS, SPEARS, WHATEVER ANYBODY WANTS TO BRING IN FOR THE COUNCIL MEETING, YOU CAN STILL BAN LARGE KNIVES 'CAUSE THAT THE ONLY EXCEPTION ON THE PROHIBITED PLACE IS HANDGUNS WHEN YOU'VE GOT A CARRY LICENSE.
BUT FOR EVERY OTHER CITY BUILDING, UM, PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING EXCEPT FOR THE CITY JAIL OR UH, A STANDALONE CITY COURTHOUSE, YOU CAN'T BAN WEAPONS OF PRETTY MUCH ANY TYPE.
BUT I'LL GIVE YOU GUYS A CHANCE TO FIGURE THAT OUT, THAT ONE OUT TOO.
'CAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE DONE THE SAME THING AND HAD TO GET THEIR LAW, THEIR, UH, POLICIES CHANGED.
YOU GUYS DID THIS IN TWO HOURS.
SO I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT, UH, MORE GRACE FOR TAKING CARE OF POCKET KNIVES.
AND LETTING, UH, EVERYBODY KNOW, COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF YOU'VE GOTTA CARRY LICENSE, YOU CAN CARRY NOW.
UM, PRETTY MUCH THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT CAN'T CARRY IN THIS ROOM NOW IS YOUR EMPLOYEES BECAUSE YOU'VE PROBABLY GOT A CITY POLICY SAYING THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO CARRY ON THE JOB.
UM, I GO AHEAD AND WORK ON CHANGING THAT NOW TOO.
UH, I JUST THINK IT'D BE FAIR IF YOU GUYS GET TO CARRY IN HERE.
THEY SHOULD GET TO CARRY IN HERE TOO, OR WHEN THEY'RE AT WORK DOWNSTAIRS.
FELIX KAPO TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALFREDO DOMINGUEZ.
[02:05:04]
GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL AND MAYOR.UM, I'M FELIX AND I WANTED TO SAY ONE, THANK YOU FOR THE INCREASED INVESTMENT IN THE DRE ESTABLISHMENT PROGRAM AS WELL AS THE, UM, LDP PROGRAM.
I WANTED TO COME UP TO READ A TESTIMONY OF A RESIDENT THAT LIVES ON DLE ROAD, UM, AND HOW SHE WAS A RENTER THAT WAS FLOODED OUT AFTER A HEAVY RAIN EARLIER THIS YEAR.
UM, I COULD EMAIL THAT OUT TO YOUR OFFICES INSTEAD.
UM, AND REALLY, I REALLY WANNA USE THIS TIME RIGHT NOW TO TALK ABOUT HOW THIS TRASH FEE IS INEQUITABLE AND THE WATER FUND THAT WE DO HAVE TO SUPPORT RESIDENTS IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
THERE'S TOO MANY RESTRICTIONS.
UM, IT CREATES A LOT OF ELIGIBILITY PROBLEMS AS WELL.
AND WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT SOMETHING BEFORE AUGUST WHEN THIS FEE GETS PASSED.
ALSO, IT'S REALLY, REALLY CRITICAL THAT WE GET RESOURCES TO PUBLIC WORKS TO FIX AND, UM, FILL IN THE 900 VACANCIES THAT THEY DO HAVE RIGHT NOW.
UH, IF THAT WAS AN HPD PROBLEM, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD RECEIVE A BILLION DOLLARS TO FILL THAT AWARD UP.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THOSE RESOURCES ARE ARE PUT TO WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO WORK.
ALFREDO DOMINGUEZ, RUBEN GARZA TO BE FOLLOWED BY ERIC SANCHEZ.
THANK YOU, MARION CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS RUBEN GARZA WITH STRONG TOWNS HOUSTON.
I FIRST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, JULIAN RAMIREZ AND ALEJANDRO SALINAS FOR PROPOSING TWO IMPORTANT, UH, BUDGET AMENDMENTS REGARDING, UH, TRANSPARENCY ON, ON TAX ABATEMENTS AND FOR COMBATING ILLEGAL DUMPING.
I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THE ADMINISTRATION SUPPORTS THE ILLEGAL DUMPING PROPOSAL AND THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE A MOTION REGARDING, UM, THE TAX ABATEMENT ORDINANCE OR TAX ABATEMENT, UH, PROPOSAL.
WE'LL BE HAPPILY TRACKING THAT AND, UH, THROWING OUR SUPPORT.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT PARKING BENEFITS DISTRICTS.
UH, SPECIFICALLY WE HAVE THREE IN HOUSTON, AND WITH A LOT OF THE AVAILABLE STREET PARKING IN THE CITY, WE ARE LEAVING A LOT OF MONEY ON THE TABLE THAT CAN BE GIVEN TO A FUND TO SUPPORT LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVEMENTS.
UH, AGAIN, THE THREE IN HOUSTON HAVE DONE TREMENDOUS WORK AND IT ON FIXING OUR STREETS, INSTALLING LIGHTS AND, UH, TRIMMING TREES, PARTICULARLY THE MUSEUM DISTRICT.
WE'RE LEAVING A LOT OF MONEY ON THE TABLE IN DOWNTOWN AND EAST DOWNTOWN.
AND EVEN IN MY GROWING AREA IN FIFTH WARD, UH, PARKING BENEFITS DISTRICTS HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO SUPPORT A LOT OF LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS.
UH, A LITTLE TO NO COST TO THE THE CITY.
HAPPY TO SPEAK MORE ON THAT IF NEEDED.
YES, YOU CAN, YOU CAN HAVE SOME OF MY TIME RUBEN, IF YOU NEED.
I WAS JUST SPECIFICALLY GOING TO, WELL, IF I HAD A LITTLE MORE TIME, I WAS JUST GONNA ELABORATE MORE ON WHY WE WOULD NEED A DOWNTOWN PARKING BENEFITS DISTRICT.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS DEDICATED 25% OF ITS LAND IN DOWNTOWN TO PARKING.
UM, THAT IS THE MOST VALUABLE, UH, LAND IN THE CITY.
AND A LOT OF THAT ON THE STREETS IN PARTICULAR IS FREE REAL ESTATE AS WE TEND TO DON'T CHARGE METERS PAST OR BEFORE CERTAIN HOURS AND AFTER CERTAIN HOURS.
I UNDERSTAND THERE'S SOME SPECIAL RULES THAT CAN BE IN PLACE, BUT THE DOWNTOWN PARKING BENEFITS DISTRICT, WE COULD HAVE EXTRA FUNDS FROM, UH, EXCESS FROM ADDITIONAL METER REVENUE DEDICATED TO A FUND THAT WOULD IMPROVE LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, MAYBE WE COULD HAVE FUNDED THE MAIN STREET PROMENADE WITH, UH, OUT OF TOWN VISITORS AND METER MONEY.
WHO KNOWS? BUT YOU KNOW, A LOT OF OTHER CITIES HAVE INSTITUTED DOWNTOWN, UH, INSTITUTED PARKING BENEFITS DISTRICTS TO GREAT EFFECT FOR LOCAL PROJECTS.
ERIC SANCHEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY JACOB CLEAGE.
THE THREE CASES I HAVE PRESENTED TO YOU ARE ALL CLOSED.
THERE IS NO REASON FOR THE AUTHORITIES TO KEEP WITHHOLDING THE FOOTAGE UNLESS THERE IS SOMETHING TO COVER UP.
THIS IS A MATTER OF PUBLIC CONCERN.
I ASK THAT YOU DEEPLY CONSIDER THIS AND PUT YOURSELVES IN MY SHOES.
IMAGINING SUBTLY BEING WOKEN UP BY A DOZEN HPD MAJOR OFFENDERS OFFICERS, THEY BREAK DOWN YOUR DOOR, HOLD YOU AT GUNPOINT, ORDER YOU TO COMPLY OR DIE IN FRONT OF YOUR FAMILY AND IN FRONT OF CHILDREN.
IMAGINE IT BEING TAKEN BY FORCE, HALF DRESSED INTO AN INTERROGATION ROOM AND THE DETECTIVE SPENDS MOST OF THE TIME DISCUSSING A FRAUDULENT POLICE REPORT FILED BY GRIZZLY HOOD NEWS AND FACEBOOK POST REGARDING ATTORNEY'S RUSTY HARDING AND ESCOBEDO INSTEAD OF THE ALLEGED ASSAULT CHARGE.
IMAGINE SEEING THE FOOTAGE OF HOW THESE OFFICERS AND CIVILIANS LIED TO SET YOU UP AND THEY ARE NOT PROSECUTED AND SAID THEY ARE PROTECTED BY COUNTY LAWYERS.
IMAGINE BEING TOLD TO JUST BE HAPPY YOU DIDN'T DIE
[02:10:01]
OR GO TO PRISON AND MOVE ON.THIS IS NOT JUSTICE, THIS IS NOT RIGHT, AND THE RECORDS MUST BE RELEASED.
NEXT SPEAKER, JACOB CLEMENT BE FOLLOWED BY EDUARDO DURAN.
MOST OF THIS MORNING STUFF I GET IS FREE AND WELL, I GOT THE SHIP FOR FREE AND THE ROCKETS WERE HAVING A PROMOTION ONE DAY AT THE JOEL JOHN BROWN CONVENTION CENTER, AND RUDY TOLD JOHN IT WAS THERE.
DOC HAD AN OUT ADDRESS CHURCH FROM HIM WITH NBA CHAMPION ON IT.
SO YEEHAW AND UM, WELL ON MY CAP, I HAVE, UH, JET BAG GOES AUTOGRAPH AND ON THE BAG I HAVE JET BAG GOES AUTOGRAPH AND I GIVE TO MY MEYER, UH, A SPORTS BASEBALL, UM, FOR PRACTICE BY SIGNED BY JEFF BOGLE WOLF, HOF 17 HALL OF FAME 17.
AND UH, WELL, TW CARTER IS A REAL STAR TO ME, SO WHILE I GOT A A ACTUAL QUILT OR HER AUTOGRAPH AND, UM, WHAT ELSE? UM, UH, YEAH, MOST OF THE STUFF THAT I GET FOR SPORTS IS FREE AND SO WELL I PAY ATTENTION TO LIKE ACADEMY HAD THAT PROMO AND I GOT THAT.
AND CAN I HAVE SOME MORE TIME TO TELL A UT JOKE? GO AHEAD JACOB.
WHY DO IYE TO HAVE A PREFERENCE TO RUN FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL WAR AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER? I DON'T KNOW WHY, BECAUSE THE FIRST LETTERS GOING AND BEGIN WITH AG.
CULTURE AND ATTORNEY GENERAL AND ONE THEY RUN WITH THE OFFICES AND WILL I AGGRAVATION TO UT LONGHORNS, BUT PUMP.
NEXT SPEAKER, EDUARDO DURAN BE FOLLOWED BY JOSEPH AMARI.
I, UM, I WON'T, WON'T BE ABLE TO GET TO THE SECOND ONE BECAUSE SPECIFICALLY I WAS TRYING TO FIND THE SCIENCE MEDICAL LITERATURE THAT THE VERY SOLID, UH, NEWS, NEWS ALTERNATIVE NEWS, UH, REPORTER IS ACTUALLY STATING, BUT I CAN AT LEAST, AT LEAST I FOUND THIS ONE.
SO IT'S, UH, MICHAEL HOLSCHER A EPIDEMIOLOGIST, YOU KNOW, STUDIES, UH, EPIDEMICS OVER AT THE MECCA OAK FOUNDATION.
AND THIS IS NOT SOME KIND OF A, YOU KNOW, RIDICULOUS CONSPIRATORIAL NONSENSE, WHICH SEEMS TO BE JUST FINDING ITSELF TO BE MORE TRUE ALL THE TIME.
SO MAY, WELL IT MAY SUPPRESS THOSE MOSQUITOES.
UM, THEY TESTED THIS OUT, GOOGLE DID IN FRESNO IN 2018.
IT SUPPRESSED THE MOSQUITOES, BUT AS SOON AS THEY WERE DONE DUMPING THE MOSQUITOES, THEY ALL CAME BACK.
AND SO WHAT THEY REQUIRE IS A SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE.
GOOGLE WANTS YOU, TIME HAS EXPIRED, WANTS THESE STATES, WANTS THESE CORTO, THEY ALL CAME BACK.
AND SO WHAT THEY REQUIRE IS A SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE.
GOOGLE WANTS YOU, WANTS THESE STATES, WANTS THESE CORPORATIONS, THESE, THESE, THESE GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS TO SUBSCRIBE TO.
GOOGLE'S SUB, MR. DUR MOSQUITO CAN GO AHEAD AND WRAP UP YOUR COMMENTS, MR. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE.
I WAS TRYING, TRYING TO SHOW YOU THAT, THAT ONE CLIP.
BUT THE THING IS THAT SHE KEEPS ON RINGING THE BELL.
SO I I RIGHT, BECAUSE YOUR TIME EXPIRED.
BUT GO AHEAD AND WRAP UP YOUR COMMENTS, RIGHT, BECAUSE ALL I'M TRYING TO SHOW YOU IS THIS ONE LITTLE CLIP AND I'M NOT TRYING TO DEBATE OR DISCUSS IT, RIGHT.
I'M JUST TRYING TO SHOW IT TO YOU AND THEN WALK OUT THE DOOR.
'CAUSE, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE NOT INFORMED ABOUT THIS, BY ALL MEANS, WHO AM I SUPPOSED TO GO AHEAD AND BRING IT TO? I KNOW.
THEY ALL CAME BACK AND SO WHAT THEY REQUIRE IS A SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE GOOGLE WANTS YOU, WANTS THESE STATES, WANTS THESE CORPORATIONS, THESE, THESE, THESE GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS TO SUBSCRIBE TO GOOGLE'S SUB MOSQUITO RELEASING SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE, BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY WAY IT EVEN WORKS.
[02:15:02]
UM, WHY W IF YOU WANNA GO AHEAD AND SEND US A WOULDN'T WANNA BE IN THE BUSINESS OF A SUBSCRIPTION TRANSCRIBED RELEASING MOSQUITOES AND STATES VERSION OF THAT, WE'LL DEFINITELY TAKE A LOOK AT IT.SO THAT'S, THAT, THAT, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.
GOOGLE IS RELEASING A SUBSCRIPTION BASED ON MOSQUITOES STATEWIDE TO EVERY STATE.
I DON'T THINK IT'S SOMETHING, UH, TO HUMOROUS OR SOME KIND OF, UH, YOU KNOW, FUNNY LITTLE CONSPIRACY THING, RIGHT? AND, UH, AND, UM, I CAN SEND YOU, AND PRETTY MUCH THE OTHER THING IS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE GETTING LGAL SYNDROME WHEN, UM, HOW DO YOU CALL IT, UH, ALLERGIES TO MEAT BECAUSE APPARENTLY, UH, TICKS ARE BEING RELEASED AS, UM, AS A WAY, UH, FOR, AS A MORAL OBLIGATION TO, UH, ALLOW FOR, FOR MORAL BIO ENHANCEMENT OF PEOPLE.
SO PRETTY MUCH YOU'RE SAYING THAT, UH, MAKING PEOPLE ALLERGIC TO MEAT IS MORAL.
UM, THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT WITH US.
AND I CAN GO AHEAD AND ACTUALLY BRING YOU, NEXT TIME I'LL BE UP ABLE TO BRING YOU THE ACTUAL SCIENCE MEDICAL LITERATURE FROM THE GOVERNMENT ON GOV WEBSITES.
BUT BY ALL MEANS, I MEAN, THIS IS NOT SOME KIND OF A PRIDE, EGO, EGOTISTICAL THING HERE.
WE APPRECIATE, I UNDERSTAND I DID THIS FOR YOU, BUT CERTAINLY, I MEAN EVERY TIME I COME HERE I ALWAYS BRING YOU THE BEST INFORMATION YOU DO AND WE APPRECIATE IT A YEAR BEFORE IT HAPPENS.
HOW YOU DOING TODAY? I'M WONDERFUL.
UH, LAST TIME HERE WAS SPOKE BEFORE THE MAYOR OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
I SPOKE ABOUT THE LEGAL OF JURISDICTION.
I HOPE ALLS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE.
THE DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DECIDE THE POSITION THAT THEY AGREE OR DISAGREE BY THE CONSTITUTIONALITY JURISDICTION IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, CIVIL AND CRIMINAL COURT SYSTEM, COURT PROCEEDING AND LAW ENFORCEMENT JURISDICTION BEFORE AND AFTER MILITARY MARTIAL LAW.
REGRETTABLY, CONGRESS DID NOT OPPOSE OR DEBATE BEFORE THE MEDIA OF AMERICA PEOPLE PRESIDENT OF OBAMA MILITARY MARTIAL LAW DIRECTED.
HOWEVER, JUDICIAL BRANCH GOVERNMENT HAVE CONSTITUTED OF ALL LEGAL MATTERS OF CIVIL COURT CRIMINAL PROCEEDING.
NOT SINCE MARI LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES OFFICERS HAVE JURISDICTION THAT INCLUDES TOWNSHIP, CITY, COUNTIES, PARISH AND STATE NATIONAL FEDERAL LAW ENFORCE JURISDICTION.
INVESTIGATE CRIMES, CHARGED ARREST, TRY CONVICT EQUIPPED SUSPECT DEFENDANTS IN CRIMINAL CASES.
JUDICIAL BRADLEY GOVERNMENT HAVE ALSO THE POLICY TO INVESTIGATE CHARGES, ARREST, INDICT, AND EVEN IMPEACH.
PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESSMAN.
CONGRESSMAN GOVERNOR'S MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL.
JUDGE YOUR TIME JUDGE HAS EXPIRED AND FEDERAL AND FEDERAL LAW.
DISTRICT BRADLEY GOVERNMENT HAVE THE POLICY INTERPRETED.
THOSE LAWS STAND BY EXECUTIVE
RESIDENT GOVERNMENT DETERMINE WHETHER THE LAWS ARE QUESTIONABLE.
CONSTITUTIONALITY HAVE THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ONLY HAVE LEGAL OR MILITARY BASE OVER OVER MILITARY COURTS AND OVER AT LEAST SOLDIERS OFFICERS UNITED STATES MILITARY DO NOT HAVE CONSTITU OF PRIVATE CITIZEN BUSINESS, PRIVATE PROPERTY, PRIVATE SECTOR, PUBLIC NAME, OR ONLY HAVE JUDICIAL OF LOCAL NOR HAVE A LOCAL JURISDICTION OF STATE NATIONAL LAW.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, SHERIFF DEPARTMENT, STATE DEPARTMENT, ALL OFFICER MR. DOMAR.
STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL, US ATTORNEY GENERAL, OR THE FBI US MARSHAL ALL JURISDICTION OF MR. MAR GOVERNMENT AND EXECUTIVE, NOT THE EXECUTIVE VENTURE GOVERNMENT OR EXECUTIVE GENERAL GOVERNMENT.
MR. OMAR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
I THINK SOMEBODY, CHIEF CIVICS AGAIN IN AMERICAN HISTORY.
I KNOW EVERYBODY, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH YOU.
WE NEED TO KEEP CIVICS IN OUR CLASSROOM, AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND AMERICAN HISTORY.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.
THAT TASK TEST DID NOT TEACH OUR KIDS.
WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY.
MR. WOODMORE, WHERE'D HE GO? GO AHEAD.
I WAS HOPING TO SEE, OH, GO AHEAD.
NATHAN LEONARD, BARACK OBAMA SAID THAT, UH, HE SAID TO EXPOSE BIGOTRY AND TO BASICALLY, UH, YOU KNOW, TAKE CARE OF IT WHENEVER YOU DO EXPOSE IT.
AND SO THAT'S ALL IT IS, IS I'VE JUST EXPOSED SOME THAT HAPPENED IN MY LIFE AND STUFF AND YOU PROBABLY TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW COULD THAT HAPPEN FOR 20 YEARS? WELL, PROBABLY BY KNOCKING YOU OUT, KIDNAPPING YOU AND BRAINWASHING YOU AND TO AFFECT YOUR SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM MEMORY
[02:20:01]
AND DO THINGS TO YOU.SO I CAME TO COUNCIL OF JUSTICE AFTER SEEING PEOPLE LIKE JOEL OSTEEN, UH, UH, GALLERY, UH, FURNITURE, UH, MR. UH, GALLERY AND, UH, JIM, WHAT IS IT? JIM? UH, VALE.
AND, UH, ALSO NAACP AND ALSO THE MAYOR OF AUSTIN.
AND NOW THIS JU UH, JUSTICE COUNCIL.
SO I'M TRYING TO GET SOME HELP AND STUFF WITH THE SITUATION OF SOMETHING THAT LIKE, THAT HAPPENED TO ME AS FAR AS MY WORKING RIGHTS, CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND CIVIL RIGHTS THAT WERE, UH, TARGETED AND, UH, TARGETED AND WHAT'S OTHER WORD, TARGET.
AND ANYWAY, UH, CAUSED ME SOME PROBLEMS AND STUFF AND I'M TRYING TO JUST GET THAT TAKEN CARE OF AND GET MAYBE, UH, BEN CRUMP TO HELP ME OUT WITH THAT.
AND I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING BACK FROM Y'ALL.
SO YOUR, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
WELL THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND WE WISH YOU THE BEST.
RENEE WILL BE ABLE TO HELP YOU.
MAYBE WE CAN, UM, GET IN TOUCH WITH MR. CRUMP.
RENEE, HERE IN THE BLACK JACKET, SIR.
WHICH ONE? RIGHT HERE IN THE BLACK JACKET.
THIS COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS.
[RECESS]
WE STAND IN RECESS UNTIL TOMORROW MORNING AT 9:00 AM.